
Class. 
Rook. 



SERIES OF SUNDAY LECTURES 



ELATION OF NATURAL AND REVEALED RELIGION, OR THE 
TRUTHS REVEALED IN NATURE AND SCRIPTURE. 



BY 

JOSEPH LE COKTE, 

rROFESSOR OF geology and natural history in the university 

OF CALIFORNIA. 



NEW YORK : 
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 

1, 8, and 5 BOND STREET. 

1884. 






RELIGION AND SCIENCE. ^ 

IG 191889' 

*£££]* A R' 






Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1373, by 

D. APPLETON & CO., 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at "Washington. 




PREFACE. 

The series of lectures contained in this little 
volume is the result of an earnest attempt to 
reconcile the truths revealed in Scripture with 
those revealed in Mature, by one who has, all his 
active life, been a reverent student of both. The 
series grew up gradually from very humble origin, 
viz., a Bible-class of young men, my own pupils 
in science in the University of South Carolina. 
The class becoming very large, it was found neces- 
sary to change the form of instruction; and thus 
the familiar talk of the Bible-class assumed the 
form of unwritten Sunday lectures. On coming 
to this coast, I was induced to repeat them here to 
a small class. Some gentlemen who heard them 
thought that they were worthy of wider circula- 
tion, as meeting the wants of many thinking men 
in the present day, and therefore proposed that, if 



4 PREFACE. 

I would again repeat them to a larger audience, 
they would have them literally reported. The 
form now presented is the result of these reports. 
I have only made verbal alterations and corrected 
some infelicities and redundancies of style con- 
sequent upon extemporaneous delivery. But for 
the kind offer of these gentlemen I am sure these 
lectures would never have been published at all, 
for the labor of writing them was far more than I 
had time to undertake. 

I have two apologies to make : First, I fear 
the style of these lectures may still retain some of 
the looseness and infelicity of extemporaneous de- 
liver}^ but I hope this may be compensated for 
by the freedom, naturalness, and directness, which 
give interest to this mode of delivery ; again, 
my studies have been chiefly scientific, and not 
metaphysical, and yet I unavoidably touch on 
many metaphysical points. It may be that, to 
those profoundly versed in metaphysics, my han- 
dling of these subjects may seem crude, but I hope 
that this also may be compensated for by the fact 
that they are presented from a side not usually 
noticed by theological or metaphysical writers. 

The series is by no means complete, many im- 
portant subjects having been omitted because I 



PREFACE. 5 

felt unable to present them in a satisfactory man- 
ner from a scientific point of view ; but, as far as 
I have gone, I hope the reader will acknowledge 
that I have treated the subjects in the true ra- 
tional spirit. 

I fear, also, I may not entirely please either the 
mere scientist on the one hand or the mere theo- 
logian on the other, but I have no apology to make 
for this. Perhaps my views may be all the more 
rational on that very account. 

J. Le C. 
Oakland, Oal., January, 1873. 




CONTENTS. 



tECTTJES PAGE 

I. — Personality of Deity 9 

II. — Personality of Deity. — Contrivance foe 

Use 27 

III. — Contrivance for Beauty .... 45 
IY. — The Spiritual Nature of Deity. — " God 

is a Spirit" 03 

V. — Essential Nature and Attributes of Deity 81 
VI. — Attributes of Deity ..... 97 

VII.— Truth . .114 

VIII. — Justice 127 

IX.— Love .142 

X.— Holiness 158 

XI. — Freedom . 173 

XII. — Unity and Trinity of Deity . . .191 
XIII. — Incarnation of Deity .... 211 

XIV. — The General Relation of Theology to 

Science .227 

XV. — The General Eelation of Theology to 

Science. — (Continued.) .... 250 
XVI. — Man: His Place in Nature . . . 266 

XVII. — Probation of Man 284 

XVIII. — Predestination and Free- Will . ... 296 
XIX — Prayer in relation to Invariable Law . 311 




EELIGION AND SCIENCE. 



LECTURE I. 

PERSONALITY OP DEITY. 

My Christian Friends : At the urgent request of 
a number of gentlemen, whose judgment I highly re- 
spect, I have been induced to commence this evening a 
series of lectures on " The relation of natural and 
revealed religion ; " or, as I might otherwise express it, 
"The doctrines of Christian belief viewed from the 
stand-point of science." I wish to compare the two 
divine books, and to show that the God revealed in 
the one is the same as the God revealed in the other. 

I find sufficient justification for this course of lect- 
ures in the existence of a constantly-growing feeling 
among intelligent people, that there is an irreconcila- 
ble antagonism between science and revelation; and 
that the unbiassed and earnest study of the former is 
inconsistent with a belief in the latter. 

The outline of the course will be as follows : First, 
I will speak of the Personality of Deity; then the 
Spiritual Nature of Deity ; and then the Attributes of 
this Personal Spirit. I will try to show that on all 
these points the teachings of Scripture are confirmed 



10 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

by Nature. I will then speak of the Modes of Divine 
Existence as revealed in Scripture, and show that, if not 
distinctly revealed in Nature, they are at least perfectly 
rational from this point of view. I will then take up 
the History of Creation as revealed in the two books, 
and show that they are in general accordance with 
each other. Last of all, I expect to take up. the sub- 
ject of Man, the last and crowning act of creation 
according to both books, and attempt to show in what 
consists his essential nature ; what are his relations to 
Nature and to God, and the duties consequent upon 
these relations. 

And now I wish you to understand, once for all, that 
I stand on the same platform as every one of you ; that 
I do not appear before you as one having authority to 
teach you upon these high subjects : I do not come 
having a commission in my hand, except such a com- 
mission as every one holds to exert all his influence on 
the side of truth and virtue. I simply present here the 
thoughts of one who has thought intensely, if not pro- 
foundly, and felt still more intensely, upon subjects 
which must stir the heart of every one in this audience 
—subjects of such vital importance that, in comparison, 
all others sink into insignificance ; the thoughts of one 
who has all his life sought with passionate ardor the 
truth revealed in the one book, but who clings no less 
passionately to the hopes revealed in the other. 

Perhaps some of you will think that this very posi- 
tion puts me in a condition of prejudice / that a condi- 
tion of intellectual indifferency is absolutely necessary 
for sound and fair judgment. I know many think so. 
On the contrary, I assert that intense interest and love 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 11 

of the truths revealed in both books is the only condi« 
tion of a rational view of their mutual relations. 

Not many Sundays ago I heard an eloquent minister, 
standing in this place, 1 say, " It is impossible to know 
a man unless you first love him." There is a profound 
truth in this remark. You cannot be a wise philanthro- 
pist unless you deeply sympathize with human nature, 
unless you love your fellow-men. You cannot under- 
stand the character of children unless you deeply sym- 
pathize with them and love them. You cannot under- 
stand your friend unless you first love him. Indiffer- 
ency shuts the door of the mind as well as of the heart, 
Hate not only shuts but double locks it, and throws 
away the key. Only Love can open it. Now, what is true 
of persons is no less true of subjects. It is impossible 
to judge fairly of any theory, of any philosophy, of any 
subject, unless you are deeply interested, unless you 
deeply sympathize with and love its spirit. This is 
true even in the lower departments of thought, but 
more and more true as the subjects become more com- 
plex. As we rise higher and higher we find it more 
and more necessary to bring the affections to the 
work, until, in the highest of all, in religious subjects 
the language of Scripture is literally true, we under- 
stand with the heart more than with the head. I 
repeat, then, that it is impossible to judge fairly and 
appreciate thoroughly the mutual relations of these two 
revelations unless we deeply sympathize with and love 
the truths contained in both. 

After this introduction, defining my position, I an- 

1 The course was delivered in the lecture-room of the Indepen- 
dent Presbyterian Church of Oakland, California. 



12 RELIGION AND SCIENGE. 

nounce as the subject of this my first lecture, as well as 
of one or two following, the "Personality of Deity as 
revealed in Nature" 

Theism^ or a belief in God or in gods, or in a super- 
natural agency of some kind controlling the phenomena 
around us, is the fundamental basis and condition of all 
religion, and is therefore universal, necessary, and intui- 
tive. I will not, therefore, attempt to bring forward any 
proof of that which lies back of all proof, and is already 
more certain than any thing can be made by any pro. 
cess of reasoning. The ground of this belief lies in the 
very nature of man ; it is the very foundation and 
ground-work of reason. It is this and this only which 
gives significance to Nature ; without it, neither religion, 
nor science, nor indeed human life, would be possible. 
For, observe what is the characteristic of man in his 
relation to external Nature. To the brute the phe- 
nomena of Nature are nothing but sensuous phenom- 
ena ; but man, just in proportion as he uses his human 
faculties, instinctively ascends from the phenomena to 
their cause. This is inevitable by a law of our nature, 
but the process of ascent is different for the cultured 
and uncultured races. The uncultured man, when a 
phenomenon occurs, the cause of which is not immedi- 
ately perceived, passes by one step from the sensuous 
phenomenon to the first cause ; while the cultured 
and especially the scientific man passes from the sen- 
suous phenomenon through a chain of secondary causes 
to the first cause. This region of second causes, and 
this only, is the domain of science. Science may, in 
fact, be defined as the study of the modes of operation 
of the first cause. 



PERSONALITY OK DEITY. 13 

It is evident, therefore, that the recognition of 
second causes cannot preclude the idea of the existence 
of God. If, in tracing the chain of causes upward, we 
stop at any cause, or force, or principle, that force or 
principle becomes for us God, since it is the efficient 
agent controlling the phenomena of the universe. Thus, 
Theism is necessary, intuitive, and therefore universal. 
We cannot get rid of it if we would. Push it out, as 
man}' do, at the front-door, and it comes in again, per- 
haps unrecognized, at the back-door. Turn it out in 
its nobler forms as revealed in Scripture, and it comes 
in again in its ignoble forms, it may be as magnetism, 
electricity, or gravity, or some other supposed efficient 
agent controlling Nature. In some form, noble or igno- 
ble, it will become a guest in the human heart. I there- 
fore repeat, Theism neither requires nor admits of 
proof. 

But in these latter times there is a strong tendency 
for Theism to take the form of Pantheism, and thereby 
religious belief is robbed of all its power over the hu- 
man heart. It becomes necessary, therefore, for me to 
attempt to show, not the existence, indeed, but the per- 
sonality of Deity. If I were lecturing to an unlettered 
audience, this would not be necessary, for the mind 
naturally conceives of God as a person. But, among 
a certain class of cultivated minds, and especially 
among scientific men, there is a growing sentiment, 
sometimes openly expressed, sometimes only vaguely 
felt, that what we call God is only a universal, all-per- 
vading principle animating Nature — a general princi- 
ple of evolution — an unconscious, impersonal life-force 
under which the whole cosmos slowly develops. Now, 



14 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

this form of Theism may possibly satisfy the demands 
of a purely speculative philosophy, but cannot satisfy 
the cravings of the human heart. For practical reli- 
gion — for a religion which connects itself with morality, 
and influences human life, which shall make us better men 
and women, which shall be the agent of human progress 
— we must have more than this, we must have a per- 
sonal Deity ; not indeed a material form, but a personal 
Will and Intelligence, a Father of our spirits, one to 
whom we come in our ignorance and darkness for guid- 
ance and light, in our weakness for help, in our hun- 
gerings after spiritual food for daily bread ; into whose 
image by daily communion we may be more and more 
transfigured; by steadfast upward gazing into whose 
face we may be drawn higher and higher. 

Now, it is precisely such a personal Being, which as 
you all know is revealed in Scripture, underlying in 
fact every line of its language ; it is such a personal 
Deity which, as I am convinced, is revealed in Nature 
also, and underlies all her language. 

The argument for the personality of Deity is derived 
from the evidences of intelligent contrivance and de- 
sign in Nature ; or the adjustment of parts for a defi- 
nite and an intelligible purpose. It is usually called 
" the argument from design" The force of this argu- 
ment is felt at once intuitively by all minds, and its 
effect is irresistible and overwhelming to every plain, 
honest mind, unplagued by metaphysical subtleties. 
Even in minds thus troubled the effect is still intuitive 
and irresistible in all cases except in a work of Nature, 
i. e., of God. 

But some will say, " The very object of science is to 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 15 

destroy popular intuitions." There cannot be a great- 
er mistake. There are two great functions of science. 
One is the discovery of new truth ; the other and far 
the more characteristic is to give clear and perfect form 
to old truth — to give rational form to the vague intui- 
tions of the popular mind — to winnow out the chaff 
from the grain, separate the dross from the gold. This 
it does by means of its admirable methods. As is the 
eye among the sense-organs, so is science among the 
means of acquiring knowledge : as the vague percep- 
tions of the external world received through the other 
senses are changed into clear, distinct, definite knowl- 
edge only through the delicately-adjusted mechanism 
of the eye ; even so the vague intuitions of the popular 
mind and even of philosophic genius take clear, distinct, 
and permanent form only through the exquisitely-deli- 
cate methods and processes of science. This, I repeat, 
is the more characteristic function of science. The dis- 
covery of new truth does not seem to come by any char- 
acteristic method. When a great truth is discovered 
by scientific genius, it seems to come suddenly, like a 
revelation. It seems to be by the same faculty of intui- 
tion which is common to all minds, but which in its 
highest forms we call genius. But the characteristic 
work of science is the subsequent verification of that 
truth, and the putting it into clear, exact, permanent 
shape. In other words, intuition quarries the blocks — 
huge, shapeless masses unfit for building-purposes; 
science hews and shapes them in proper forms and fits 
them into the edifice. This is the characteristic work 
of science — this constructive mason-work, by which 
knowledge is gradually built up into a beautiful edifice. 



16 RELIGION AND SCIENCE, 

Now, in these latter times, there has been so much 
of this stone-cutting, the clink of the scientific ham- 
mer and chisel so deafens our ears, that the function 
of the quarrier is in danger of being underrated, if not 
entirely overlooked. Few appreciate how many of the 
greatest blocks of truth have been quarried by popular 
and philosophic intuitions. Let us, then, learn to re- 
spect popular intuitions. The intuitions of the human 
heart and the human mind, when strong and universal, 
are always true, although the form of truth may be 
vague and crude. The function of science is not to 
destroy these, but to shape them. 

Thus much I have thought it necessary to say con- 
cerning the nature of the argument from design, be- 
cause it has been the fashion to speak of it with con- 
tempt as " the carpenter's theory of the universe." 

I said the argument from design, to the unbiassed 
mind, is conclusive. Take an example : I dig in cer- 
tain gravel strata in this vicinity, and find flint imple- 
ments adapted for purposes of war or industry on the 
one hand, or for ornamentation on the other. Does 
any one for a moment doubt that these are the work 
of intelligence ? Certainly not. Observe, then, from 
the example given, that the argument from design has 
two branches, viz., design for use and design for beauty. 
The old natural theology was founded almost entirely 
upon design for use. I will take up this branch first, 
and give the argument very briefly, somewhat in the 
form in which it is usually presented, but varying it to 
suit my own purposes. 

I am walking upon a heath in an uninhabited desert 
island : I find lying upon the ground a watch. I have 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 17 

never seen nor heard of a watch before. I have not 
the remotest idea what it is ; but I examine it patient- 
ly and thoroughly. Having studied it perhaps for 
weeks or months, perhaps for years, I at last under- 
stand the nature and design of the instrument. I ob- 
serve wheel locked in wheel, each influencing the other, 
and all controlled by the main-spring, and regulated by 
the balance-wheel. I observe that the effect and the 
evident design of all this is, to make the hands move 
around and mark time upon the graduated face. Now, 
it may take a long time and much patient study, and 
a very considerable amount of intelligence, to under- 
stand all this. But, if I do understand it, the conclu- 
sion is absolutely irresistible that some person made 
the watch, and put it where I found it. 

Now, suppose a metaphysical objector present on 
the occasion should say, " No, the watch may not have 
been made at all : it existed there from eternity ; it 
had no intelligent contriver at all, because it had no 
beginning." The answer to this is obvious. " It is 
only by the greatest effort of my intellect that I have 
been able to understand the beautiful contrivance, the 
delicate adjustment of parts for a purpose. What has 
taken me so long, and required so much intellectual 
labor to understand, must have been contrived by a 
still greater intellect than mine." Observe, the ques- 
tion is not how long the watch may have lain on the 
heath, but of something which I now see in the watch. 
It is not a question of the origin of the material of 
the watch, but of the use of that material. It is not a 
question of creation, but of arrangement. It is not a 
question of the exercise of power, but of the exercise 



18 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

of intelligence. It is not a question of the origin of 
matter, but of the origin of contrivance — a thing pure- 
ly intellectual, and not material — a thing which can be 
perceived only by intelligence, and, therefore, could 
have originated only through the exercise of similar 
intelligence. 

Now, such a watch is the solar system, with its sun, 
planets, and moons ; infinitely more beautiful, more 
complex, more delicately adjusted, than any human 
work — wheel within wheel, each influencing the other, 
and all controlled by the central sun, and marking time 
with the utmost exactness upon the dial-plate of 
heaven. Now, observe : it matters not when this was 
made, or how it was made, or where the materials came 
from, out of which it was made. All this is entirely 
foreign to the question. But here is something, not 
material, but intellectual, which I perceive, viz., the 
intelligent arrangement for a purpose, the contrivance. 
The greatest minds upon this earth have been studying 
this contrivance for two thousand years without exhaust- 
ing it. We are still studying, and every year the won- 
derful ness of this contrivance grows greater. I ask, 
then, if we admit intelligence — personal intelligence — 
in the human work, how shall we deny it in the 
Divine ? 

But, again : Suppose, upon second and closer ex- 
amination of the watch, I find within it, what I did not 
observe before, another exquisitety-beautiful contriv- 
ance for making watches — a watch-making mechanism. 
What would be the natural effect of this new discovery ? 
Evidently only to increase immensely my admiration of 
the wonderful intelligence which contrived it. 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 19 

But here comes the metaphysical objector again. 
He saj^s : " Ah ! I see now I was wrong in thinking 
that the watch was eternal, and therefore had no begin- 
ning. Now I perceive that it was made by another 
watch like itself, and had no intelligent contriver; 
and the previous watch was itself made by still another, 
and that by another, and so on to infinity. There never 
was a first watch to be contrived." Now, the answer 
to this also is very obvious : " The question is not of a 
first watch, or of any other watch, but of this very one. 
Neither is the question of any thing material, but sim- 
ply of an intellectual something which I see in this 
very watch, viz., its contrivance. I will not be driven 
from this which I clearly understand by any meta- 
physical subtleties which I do not understand. It is 
impossible to believe that this wonderful intellectual 
contrivance should have originated except by the use 
of intelligence." 

A watch is an instrument showing much personal 
intelligence in its construction. But suppose I found 
a watch-making machine — a machine which, being 
wound up, would make and wind up watches ; this, of 
course, is evidence of a much higher intelligence. Sup- 
pose I put the direct act of constructive intelligence 
still one step back, and have a machine for making 
watch-making machines. Surely this is only evidence 
of still higher order of intelligence. Now, it may be 
regarded as an axiom that whatever is true at every 
step up to a limit, is true at the limit also; what 
ever is true at every step up to infinity, is true of in 
finity also ; whatever is true at every step conceivable 
to the mind, is true absolutely and without limit. Intel- 



20 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

ligence is necessary in the direct construction of an 
individual watch or machine ; it is no less necessary if 
direct action he one degree removed, two degrees re- 
moved, three degrees removed, a thousand degrees, a 
million degrees removed, or even if removed to infinity. 
The argument remains precisely the same, only the de- 
gree of intelligence grows more and more wonderful. 

Now, such a watch is this our human body — more 
complex, more wonderful, more delicately adjusted, 
than any conceivable human work. It winds up and 
renews its strength every day ; repairs itself, and finally 
reproduces itself ad infinitum y yes, so far as the study 
of present Nature teaches us, reproduces itself in an 
infinite series in the past and in the future. Again I 
ask, If we admit personal intelligence in the human 
work, how shall we deny it in the work of Nature ? 

But I am well aware that the plain, honest, straight- 
forward mind, unaccustomed to metaphysical subtle- 
ties, is confused and distressed by these objections, 
founded on infinite series and eternal existence. He 
longs to see the contriving hand introduced, he longs 
to know the beginning of some contrivance. If the 
contrivances of Nature were less wonderful, more hu- 
man, we could believe without difficulty. But con- 
trivance so infinite, so superhuman, so inconceivable — 
may it not be something else than contrivance ? Now, 
just here it seems to me geology helps us, at least 
a little ; at least removes the difficulty, if such it may 
be called, some steps farther back. It is an axiom 
in geology that organic forms, organic contrivances, 
whether individuals, species, genera, or families, have 
a finite duration. Species commence to exist, they con- 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 21 

tinue by reproduction a certain length of time, and 
they cease to exist. Another species (or style of con- 
trivance) commences, continues by reproduction, and 
passes away. There is no infinite series of similar con- 
trivances. We are indebted to geology alone for the 
demonstration of this great truth. Geology demon- 
strates a beginning for man, a beginning for organic 
species, genera, families, a beginning for the organic 
kingdom, a beginning for the cosmos itself. We have 
yearned to know when the watch was made : Geology 
comes forward and says, " Here, at this very point of 
time ; and here, and here, and here, are the dates of 
other watches of different styles." Thus while Meta- 
physics has been disputing as to whether watches are 
made, or whether they are eternal, Geology comes for- 
ward and tells us the date of manufacture. Not only 
so, but she knew the heath before there was any 
watch on it ; not only so, but she knows of other 
heaths on which other styles of watches are now lying- 
unknown to any metaphysician. Thus, while Meta- 
physics has been trying in vain to decide whether or 
not watches were made or could have been made at all, 
Geology comes forward and gives the whole history 
of the various styles of watches. 

Now, I know full well that there are many persons 
who will ask : " Is not the force of this argument from 
geology broken by the latest developments of science ? 
Is it not now believed by many scientists that species 
did not originate suddenly, but by gradual infinites- 
imal changes through successive generations ? " I an- 
swer, I simply give you the facts as they are given 
me by geology. Geology demonstrates a beginning to 



22 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

every style of contrivance; as to the suddenness or 
slowness of that beginning, and the process by which it 
was determined, we know nothing with certainty. Yet 
the present condition of geological evidence is un- 
doubtedly in favor of some degree of suddenness — is 
against infinite gradations. The evidence may be 
meagre, some think it is meagre, though it seems to 
me that, in some cases at least, it is very abundant. 
But, whether meagre or not, it is nearly all the evidence 
we have. Observe : the question is not, how species 
could have been introduced, or ought to have been 
introduced, or must have been introduced; it is a 
simple question of how they were introduced. It is not 
a question of speculative philosophy ; it is a simple 
question of history. And, as a question of history, 
there is no witness upon the stand except Geology. 
In comparison with her evidence, all other evidence 
ought to be ruled out of court. Her evidence and hers 
alone must eventually settle this question. Now, the 
evidence of Geology, to-day, is that species seem to 
come in suddenly and in full perfection, remain sub- 
stantially unchanged during the term of their existence 
and pass away in full perfection. Other species take 
their place apparently by substitution, not by trans* 
mutation. 

But you will ask me : " Do you, then, reject the 
doctrine of evolution ? Do you accept the creation of 
species directly and without secondary agencies and 
processes ? " I answer, No ! Science knows nothing 
of phenomena which do not take place by secondary 
causes and processes. She does not deny such occur- 
rence, for true Science is not dogmatic ; and she knows 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 23 

full well that, tracing up phenomena from cause to 
cause, we must reach somewhere the more direct agency 
of a First Cause. But any phenomenon referred to 
direct agency of the First Cause is immediately put 
beyond the domain of Science. The domain of Science 
is secondary causes and processes — is all that lies be- 
tween the phenomenon, the object of sense, and the 
First Cause, the object of faith. Science passes from 
sensible phenomena to immediate causes, from these 
to other higher causes, and thus by a continuous chain 
she rises higher and still higher until she approaches 
the Great First Cause, until she stands before the very 
throne of God Himself. But there she doffs her robes, 
she lays down her sceptre, and veils her face. 

It is evident, therefore, that, however species were 
introduced, whether suddenly or gradually, it is the 
duty of science ever to strive to understand the means 
and processes by which species originated. This is 
her only domain ; she would belie her character and 
her mission if she did not. 

Now, of the various conceivable secondary causes 
and processes by means of some of which we must be- 
lieve species originated, by far the most probable is 
certainly that of evolution from other species. This, 
be it observed, is by no means proved ; but if species 
originated by secondary causes at all (and no other 
view is scientific), surely this is far the most probable. 
But, admitting evolution as probable, there still remain 
the questions of the cause and the mode of evolution. 

First, as to the cause of the origin of new forms, 
whether it be (a) the pressure of external conditions 
modifying organic structure and the modification trans- 



24 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

mitted by inheritance, and the same process continued 
from generation to generation, as supposed by some ; 
or whether it be (b) improvement of organs by use and 
the improvement transmitted by inheritance to be again 
improved upon, and so on, as others suppose ; or whether 
it be (c) by divergent variation of offspring and sur- 
vival of the fittest in the sharp struggle for life, as sup- 
posed by Darwin ; or whether, admitting all these as 
factors of change, there be not (d) a fourth unknown 
factor far more important than all ; these are questions 
yet to be solved by science. My own very strong con- 
viction, however (and I think many others are coming 
to the same conclusion), is that no theory of evolution 
yet proposed explains the origin of species, that the 
factors mentioned above (a, b, c) may produce varieties, 
but not species, much less genera, orders, and classes ; 
that the great factor of change and the real cause of 
evolution is still unknown. Evolution may be the 
universal formal law of the universe of Time, but the 
cause of this law is jet undiscovered. The Time uni- 
verse may have its Keplers, but its ISTewton has not 
yet arrived. 

Again, as to the mode of origin of new species. Is 
it by uniform rate of change and by gradations so 
insensible that, if we only had all the links, there would 
be no such thing as species at all, or is it by more or 
less paroxysmal change? This question is yet un- 
decided ; nevertheless, as I have already said, all the 
real evidence which we have is in favor of paroxysmal 
change. It may be meagre, but it is all we have. 

Most naturalists seem to think that sudden change 
is inconsistent with the idea of evolution. It may, in- 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 25 

deed, be inconsistent with any theory now before the 
scientific world ; but this only shows that we have not 
yet a true theory of evolution. But others say the 
constancy of Nature's laws necessitates change by in- 
sensible gradations. " Nature," they say, " never goes 
by leaps." On the contrary, although laws and forces 
are constant, phenomena almost always change by 
leaps. Meteorological phenomena, such as storms and 
lightning — geological phenomena, such as earthquakes 
and volcanoes, are paroxysmal. Even embryonic 
development, the ver}" type of all evolution, is paroxys- 
mal always in some of its steps and in many animals in 
several of its steps. Is it, then, inconceivable or con- 
trary to the known analogies of Nature that the evolu- 
tion of the organic kingdom should also have its periods 
of paroxysmal change ? On the contrary, it seems to 
me far more probable that in the evolution of the 
organic kingdom, as in the evolution of the earth, in the 
evolution of society, in the evolution of the egg, in 
fact, as in all evolution, there have been periods of 
comparative quiet and periods of rapid change. How 
rapid these changes have been can only be determined 
by further observations. All I wish to insist on is, 
that the mind should not be closed against sudden or 
paroxysmal change by any idea that such change is 
inconsistent with evolution by secondary causes. 

Let me insist, however, that it can make no differ- 
ence, so far as the argument for design is concerned, 
whether there be evolution or not; or whether, in 
case of evolution, the evolutionary change be paroxys- 
mal or uniform. The existence of contrivance is one 
thing, the mode by which the contrivance is effected is 
2 



26 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

quite another thing. The sudden appearance of species, 
with all their admirable contrivance complete, might be 
a relief to our finite minds — might strengthen the waver- 
ing faith of some, but cannot affect the real argument in 
any way. 

Thus, then, you will observe that skepticism takes 
its first refuge in the past eternity of existing contriv- 
ances, or else, in the case of organisms, in the eternity 
of the species. Driven from this by geology, it takes 
its next refuge in the eternity of the organic kingdom. 
Driven again from this, it takes its next refuge in the 
eternity of the cosmos. Driven from this also, as it has 
been, it takes its last refuge beyond the domain of 
Science, in the eternity of matter and material forces. 
Thus in every case it seeks refuge in our ignorance — it 
flies ever before the light of Science, and finds safety 
and rest only beyond her domain. 



LECTURE XI. 

PERSONALITY OF DEITY.— CONTRIVANCE FOR USE. 

My Christian Friends: In my last lecture I at- 
tempted to show the evidences of design, and therefore 
of personal intelligence, in the general constitution of 
the universe, and especially in the organization of the 
human body. I attempted to show, further, that it 
makes no difference how the materials from which these 
were made originated, or whether they ever originated 
at all, since the evidence of design is shown only in the 
use of these materials for a definite purpose, precisely 
as man uses them for definite purposes. 

Again, I attempted to show that it makes no differ- 
ence whether the structural contrivance was brought 
about instantaneously by what we usually call a crea- 
tive act, or whether it was brought about gradually by 
means of secondary agencies, and by a slow process of 
evolution. I insist on this, again, because there are 
many persons who seem to think that, whenever we 
trace any adjustment or contrivance to secondary agen- 
cies, natural laws, and gradual processes, we thereby 
put it beyond the category of personal intelligence. 
There are many religious persons who seem to fear, and 



28 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

many skeptical persons who eagerly embrace the nebu- 
lar hypothesis — which supposes that the whole uni- 
verse was gradually developed and arranged from a dif- 
fused nebulous matter by the laws and forces of matter 
— because they think this view puts the admirable 
arrangement of the universe beyond the pale of per- 
sonal intelligence. There are many religious persons 
who fear, and many skeptics who embrace the evolu- 
tion hypothesis — which attempts to account for the 
origin of species by natural laws — because they think 
this view places the admirable contrivances of the ani- 
mal body out of the pale of personal intelligence. 

Now, nothing, it seems to me, can be more unfound- 
ed than these fears and these hopes. These hypotheses, 
if true, only express the modes of operation of personal 
intelligence. As already explained, the domain of sci- 
ence is the modes of operation of the First Cause, and, 
if the results show personal intelligence, then is it the 
modes of operation of Personal Intelligence. "Whether 
the nebular hypothesis be true or not, science must ever 
strive to find out the means and processes by which 
worlds gradually came into being and were arranged as 
we now find them. Whether any form of evolution 
hypothesis which now exists be true or not, science 
must ever strive to discover the secondary agencies and 
the processes by which new organic forms appear on 
the earth. But science cannot touch the argument for 
design ; it only shows the modes by which design is car- 
ried out. Science cannot touch the evidences of per- 
sonal intelligence ; it only shows the modes of opera- 
tion of that personal intelligence. Science can never 
disprove the existence of a personal £>eity; its only 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 29 

function is to enhance our ideas as to the nature of that 
Deity. Scignce can never touch the grounds of a true 
religion; its whole function is to give more rational 
form and more rational ground to our religious be- 
liefs. 

But the human heart demands not only a personal 
Deity, but a personal Deity like ourselves — like our bet- 
ter selves — a person with whom w^e can sympathize, 
whom we may worship not only with fear, but also 
with reverence and love. Our object this evening, 
therefore, is to show in Nature not only the evidence 
of personal intelligence, but that the operations of this 
intelligence are like the operations of our own intel- 
ligence, and that man as regards his intellect is made 
literally, as the Scripture says, in the image of God. 
In order to do this, I will take a human work of art and 
compare it with a Divine work of art, and show their 
similarity. For this purpose I select the human eye 
and the photographic camera. I select these because 
they are wonderfully alike both in design and in the 
mode of carrying out that design, and because, having 
all my life made a special study of the structure of the 
eye and the nature of vision, I feel that T can carry the 
comparison further than it is usually carried. 

For many centuries the beautiful structural con- 
trivance of the eye has been the theme of admiration 
of the theologian, as well as of the student of Nature ; 
but the subject, so far from being exhausted, acquires 
new interest with every advance in the physiology of 
the eye, and every improvement in the construction of 
optical instruments. I wish, therefore, now, in the 
light of the latest developments of science, to compare 



30 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

this masterpiece of Divine art with that masterpiece of 
human art, the photographic camera. 

Observe, then, that the design of the two instru- 
ments is precisely the same, viz., to form a perfect 
image on a screen properly placed. The means of 
carrying out this design is also wonderfully similar in 
the two cases, as I now proceed to show. 

I pass over certain minor points, such as the care- 
ful covering of these delicate instruments, to prevent 
injury when not in use ; the frequent wiping of them, 
to keep them perfectly clear and transparent and ready 
for use ; the contrivance for rapid movement in all 
directions, so as to turn full upon the object to be 
imaged. In all these respects the infinite superiority 
of the eye is perfectly obvious. I come at once, then, 
to the main points of the comparison : 

1. The ordinary camera, as you all know, is a 
small, dark chamber, open to the light only in front, 
with a screen in the back part, which must be properly 
placed. The interior of this dark chamber is entirely 
lined with lamp-black. The object of this is to quench, 
and thus prevent reflection of, any light which may 
strike the sides of the chamber, so that no light can 
reach the screen except that which comes directly from 
the object to be imaged ; in other words, the object is, to 
prevent the reverberation of light within the chamber, 
which would spoil the clearness of the image. Now, 
the human eye also is a very small, dark chamber, open 
to the light only in front, with a screen (the retina) 
properly placed in the back part, and the whole lined 
with a black, absorbing substance which completely 
prevents reflection or reverberation of light within the 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 31 

chamber ; no light can reach the retinal screen except 
that which comes directly from the object. 

2. I said, the chamber in both cases is open in 
front ; but an ordinary hole through which light may 
enter will not answer the purposes of either the camera 
or the eye, because it is impossible to form a perfect 
image in that way. There are two necessary requisites 
of a perfect image : first, it must be perfectly distinct ; 
second, it must be sufficiently bright. To attain distinct- 
ness, it is necessary that the light coming from each 
point of the object should be gathered and should fall 
only upon a corresponding point of the image ; so that 
there shall be no mixing, on the image, of light from 
different points of the object. To attain brightness, a 
sufficient amount of light from the object must fall on 
the image. Now, if we have a simple hole, observe the 
difficulty : In proportion as we increase the size of the 
hole, so as to let in more light, and thus increase the 
brightness, in that very proportion do we necessarily 
decrease the distinctness of the image. For the di- 
vergent cone of light from any radiant point (a) of the 
object (A B), as it passes 
through the hole and falls 
upon the screen (S S'), 
must form there a circle 
of light, a' a\ larger 
than the hole. The light 
from another contiguous 
point, b, passes through 
the same hole, spreads 
out into a similar circle, V b\ and these two circles 
overlap, and the light from different radiants, a and 5, 



Fig. i. 




1 

aJ 
V 

JS' 



32 



RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 



mix with each other. Thus, the light from every ra- 
diant point of the object mixes with light from con- 
tiguous radiant points, and therefore no clear, distinct 
image is possible. On the other hand, if we decrease 
the size of the hole, the distinctness becomes greater, 
it is true, because the overlapping circles of light be- 
come smaller ; but the brightness becomes less and less 
in the same proportion. By means of a pin-hole we can 
make a tolerably distinct image of external objects with- 
in a camera, but the image is also very faint. If we at- 
tempt to make the image still more distinct by making 
the hole still smaller, it becomes fainter and fainter, 
until, at the moment when it becomes quite distinct, 
its brightness is entirely gone, it disappears altogether. 
Now, a lens is an exquisite instrument for accom- 
plishing both of these results. A lens properly con- 
structed has the really wonderful property of taking 
all the light radiating from a given point, r, which falls 

upon its sur- 
face, and by re- 
fraction gather- 
ing it and guid- 
ing it with the 
greatest preci- 
sion to a partic- 
ular point, f, 
called the focus. The same is true of the light from 
every radiant point, r'; it is carried to its corresponding 
focal point, f. Now, every object may be regarded as 
made up of an infinite number of radiant points. The 
rays from each one of these radiant points are gathered, 
and as it were sifted out and disentangled from all 



Fig. 2. 




PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 33 

others, and carried each to its own place on the image. 
Thus, for every radiant point of the object, there is a 
corresponding- focal point on the image ; and, as the 
object is made up of an infinite number of radiant points, 
so the image is made up of an infinite number of cor- 
responding focal points, and the image is therefore at 
the same time perfectly distinct and very bright. 

Now, it is this wonderful instrument which is used 
both in the camera and in the eye. Without their 
lenses, neither the camera nor the eye could possibly 
produce a perfect image. 

3. I have said, "a lens properly constructed" 
has the property of making a perfect image. But it 
is no easy matter to construct a proper lens. There 
are certain defects in lenses, the removal of which has 
been justly regarded among the greatest triumphs of 
science and art. The first of these is called chromatism. 
I will illustrate it in a simple way : If you take an 
ordinary prism, and allow light to shine through it, the 
variously-colored rays of which white light is com- 
posed are separated from each other, and we have the 
colors of the rainbow. This is called dispersion of 
light. If we look through the prism, we find all ob- 
jects are more or less fringed with these colors. The 
reason is plain : light passing through a prism is bent 
from its course — refracted. If all the colors were re- 
fracted alike, the light would still be white ; but some 
colors are refracted more than others, and the colors 
are therefore separated or dispersed. Now, the lens 
has the same property as the prism. The light passing 
through a lens is always dispersed by unequal refrac- 
tion of the different colors : the more refracted rays 



84 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

are brought to focus nearer the lens, the less refracted 
farther off. The light from each radiant point is not all 
brought, therefore, as it ought to be, to the same focal 
point. The image is, therefore, confused in every part, 
by the mixing of light from contiguous radiants, and 
at the same time is friDged on the margins with colors. 

Now, how is this difficulty remedied in the best 
optical instruments ? It is remedied by using two 
lenses, one convex and the other concave ; but the con- 
vexity of the one is greater than the concavity of the 
other, so that when together the combination still acts 
as a convex lens. Again, the materials of which the 
two lenses are made are different, and have different 
dispersive powers — the dispersive power of the ma- 
terial of the concave lens being greater than the dis- 
persive power of the material of the convex lens. 
Now, convex and concave lenses act upon light in op- 
posite ways, both as regards dispersion and refraction : 
they tend, therefore, to counteract each other. The 
curvature of the two lenses and their material are so 
disposed, that the dispersion produced by the convex 
lens is entirely counteracted by the contrary dispersion 
of the concave lens, but the refraction produced by the 
one is not overcome by the contrary refraction of the 
other. The combination is still a convex-refracting 
lens, but not a dispersing lens. By this beautiful con- 
trivance the dispersion of light, or chromatism, may be 
entirely removed. 

Now, precisely the same method is adopted 'in the 
eye. The eye has its three lenses, the crystalline lens, 
the aqueous lens, and the vitreous lens — the first two 
convex and the last concave — consisting of materials 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 35 

of different refractive and dispersive powers, so related 
to each other that their combination completely cor- 
rects the chromatism which otherwise must have dis- 
turbed the clearness of vision. 

4. But there is another defect in lenses which is 
still more difficult to remedy. It is called spherical 
aberration. I will endeavor to explain. The simplest 
form of lens, and by far the easiest to make, is one 
whose curvature is spherical. But, in such a lens, the 
light which falls on the marginal portions is refracted 
a little too much, and that which passes through the 
central portions is not refracted quite enough. The 
result is, that the marginal rays are brought to focus 
nearer the lens, and the central rays farther off : and 
therefore the condition of distinctness, viz., that all the 
light from each radiant is brought to the same focus, is 
not fulfilled, and the image therefore is confused. 

Now, how is this error corrected in the best optical 
instruments? We have seen that the margin of the 
lens refracts too much and the central portions too lit- 
tle. To correct, therefore, we must decrease the re- 
fraction of the marginal portions, or increase that of 
the central portion. This may be done in either of two 
ways : either by increasing the curvature of the cen- 
tral part so as to give the lens a curvature like that of 
the end of an egg ; or else by making the density and 
therefore the refractive power of the material of the lens 
greater in the central part. Now, in the camera and 
other optical instruments we use the former method ; 
and it is accounted one of the greatest triumphs of 
mathematics to have calculated, and of art to have 
made, the exact form necessary to correct this error, 



SO RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

Art has never succeeded in correcting the error by the 
second method. It is impossible to graduate the den- 
sity of the material in the manner required. 

It is apparently in this second way that the correc- 
tion is made in the case of the eye. The crystalline 
lens consists of concentric layers, becoming less and 
less dense from the centre to the margin. Its curvature 
is probably also modified suitably for correction. But 
in whatever way it is corrected in the eye, whether by 
one or both of these methods, the fact of its correction 
is undoubted. The least want of correction would in- 
terfere fatally with the distinctness of the retinal im- 
age, and therefore of vision. 

5. But there is another difficulty. We have said the 
screen must be appropriately placed. It must be so for 
this reason : the path of light-rays is perfectly straight ; 
therefore, when the rays are refracted and collected by 
a lens they meet at the focus, cross one another, and 
again separate (as seen in Fig. 2) beyond that point. 

Now, we want a perfect image on the screen, but 
the conditions of a perfect image exist only exactly at 
the focus. If the screen is short of that point, then 
the rays of light from each radiant are not yet brought 
together to a perfect point. If the screen is beyond that 
point, they have already crossed each other and again 
diverged. Evidently, then, we must have the screen ex- 
actly at the focus or point of crossing. You are all famil- 
iar with the fact that, in the camera, if the screen is not 
adjusted to the exact proper place, the image is blurred. 
We therefore carefully move it back and forth until, 
looking in from behind, we see the image sharp and 
distinct on the ground-glass screen. Now, if the place 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 37 

of the image were precisely the same for objects at all 
distances, then we might fix the screen, whether in the 
camera or the eye, once and for all, in its proper place. 
But we find that, for objects at different distances, the 
place of the focal points or image is different. Com- 
mencing at a distance, as we move an object toward 
the lens, the image on the other side moves farther and 
farther away ; as we carry the object away from the 
lens, the image approaches the lens. There must be 
some means of adjusting instruments for perfect images 
of objects at different distances. This is called focal 
adjustment. 

Now, there are only two possible methods of accom- 
plishing this adjustment : either the screen must be 
moved backward and forward, in proportion as the im- 
age moves, or else the screen may be fixed, and the lens 
changed and made more or less refractive, so as always 
to throw the image on the fixed screen. Both of these 
methods are used in optical instruments. — In the cam- 
era, in the spy-glass, and the opera-glass, and the tele- 
scope, we use the former, while in the microscope we 
use the latter. In the camera, for instance, by means of 
a screw we elongate or shorten the tube, increasing or 
decreasing the distance between the lens and the screen, 
until, looking in from behind, we see the image on the 
ground-glass screen is perfect. In the microscope, on 
the contrary, the position of the image is usually fixed. 
When, therefore, we bring the object nearer or carry it 
farther, we change the lens so as to throw the image 
on the same spot. 

Now, how is this managed in the case of the eye ? 
Until very recently it was believed (and you will find 



38 RELIGION- AND SCIENCE. 

it still so stated in most text-books) the method of 
adjustment used in the eye is that used in the camera; 
that is to say, in looking at near objects the eye is elon- 
gated and the screen carried farther back, while in look- 
ing at more distant objects the eye is shortened or flat- 
tened, and the screen brought farther forward. By the 
recent and beautiful investigations of Helmholtz, it has 
been now proved, however, that the mode of adjust- 
ment in the eye is rather like that of the microscope. 
This has been proved in the following way : By put- 
ting belladonna in the eye, the pupil maybe enormously 
enlarged, so that we may without difficulty examine the 
whole interior of the eye. Now, by putting a lighted 
candle before the eye of a person thus treated, we see 
three images of the candle-flame in the eye, one by re- 
flection from the anterior surface of the eye itself, one 
from the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, and 
one from the posterior surface of the crystalline lens. 
If, now, while examining these images, we direct the 
person to look at a very near object, it will be seen 
that the image formed by the anterior surface of the 
crystalline lens changes its shape and size in such wise 
as to show that the surface of this lens becomes more 
curved — -the lens itself becomes thicker, more convex, 
and therefore more refractive. 

In the eye, therefore, like the microscope, the change 
is in the lens, not in the length of the dark chamber. 
But observe the immense superiority of the eye. In 
the microscope, we take off one and put on another lens 
— we change lenses ; in the eye, we change the form of 
the one lens. By slight change in the form of its lens 
the eye adapts itself with the utmost exactness for all 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 39 

distances, from five inches to infinity. It defines per- 
fectly at five inches, it defines also perfectly the sun or 
the moon. As, therefore, the microscope has its quar- 
ter-inch lens, its half-inch lens, its one inch, two inch, 
three inch, four inch lenses ; so the eye changes its one 
lens and makes it a five-inch lens, a foot-lens, a twenty- 
foot lens, a mile-lens, a million-of-miles lens. 

6. For the delicate purposes for which these two 
instruments are used, the light may be sometimes too 
strong. There must be some means of regulating the 
amount of light admitted, according to the work 
required. Nowj this is done in the camera and in the 
microscope by means of diaphragms — opaque screens 
with holes of various sizes; so also in the eye we have 
the iris, a true diaphragm, i. e., an opaque screen with a 
hole, (the pupil) in the middle. But observe the supe- 
riority of the eye. In the camera, we change the dia- 
phragm, and use one with larger or smaller hole ; in the 
eye, there is a contractile diaphragm, which adjusts the 
size of the hole (pupil) with the utmost exactness, 
according to the wants of the eye. 

Very recently Art has taken a lesson here, and, in 
acknowledged imitation of Nature, has made a diaphragm 
in which by means of a screw the opening may be ad- 
justed to any size. But even this, as perfect and beau- 
tiful as it is, is still far inferior to what we find in the 
eye. 

I have already pursued this comparison beyond 
what is found in text-books on natural theology ; but it 
may be carried still further, and the further we carry 
it the more wonderful the resemblance becomes. 

You will observe that I have spoken thus far only 



40 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

of structural contrivance or beautiful mechanism, for the 
evident purpose of making an image ; but, both in the 
eye and in the camera, the image itself is only a means 
to attain a higher end : in the camera to produce a 
photographic picture, in the eye to accomplish vision. 
You will observe, we have in both cases a most beauti- 
ful application of plrysical laws for certain purposes ; 
but in both cases also there is something which trans- 
cends physics. In both cases we have shown how the 
«mage is formed on the insensitive screen — the ground- 
glass plate in the case of the camera, the dead retina in 
the case of the eye ; but in both cases when in actual 
operation there is a sensitive screen in which wonderful 
changes take place. We will therefore pursue the com- 
parison a little further. 

7. Observe, then, in the camera we may consider 
three images : (1.) There is the light-image. This is 
the image which we have considered thus far; it is that 
for the formation of which the whole structural contriv- 
ance is intended ; it is that which we see on the ground- 
glass plate in looking in from behind; it comes and 
goes with the object. (2.) There is the invisible im- 
age. When the ground-glass plate is removed and 
the sensitive plate is put in its place, the light-image 
of course falls upon the sensitive plate, and induces in 
it certain molecular changes which are intense where 
the light is intense and feeble where the light is feeble ; 
in other words, is graduated over the surface precisely 
as the light is graduated. It is, therefore, properly 
called an image, though invisible when the plate is 
removed. (3.) The visible image or picture. After 
the formation of the invisible image by exposure to the 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY, 41 

light-image, the operator applies certain reagents which 
induce chemical change in the impressed part, which 
again is graduated in intensity precisely as the mo- 
lecular change, and therefore as the light- image, was 
graduated. 

So, also, we may consider three images as formed 
by the eye: (1.) There is the light-image, produced 
by the mechanical contrivance we have thus far dis- 
cussed, the image which we can see in the dead eye 
precisely as we can in the camera. (2.) This light- 
image, impressing the sensitive retina of the living eye, 
induces certain molecular and chemical changes, little un- 
derstood, which are graduated over the surface precisely 
as the light-image is graduated, both in intensity and 
in the nature of the light, and may therefore be called 
the invisible image on the retina. (3.) By a law 
which transcends physics and chemistry, by a law 
which is utterly incomprehensible to us, this invisible 
molecular change — this invisible image — is projected 
outward into space, and seen there a visible, external 
image, or an object. 

8. One point more. We have spoken thus far 
of one camera and of one eye ; but there are certain 
peculiar and beautiful stereoscopic effects which can 
only be produced by the use of two cameras or of two 
eyes. On an ordinary stereoscopic card there are two 
pictures of the same scene ; these are always slightly 
different, because taken by two cameras from different 
positions. The dissimilarity is absolutely necessary 
for stereoscopic effect. These two dissimilar pictures, 
when viewed in the stereoscope, instantly, from pictures, 
become apparent realities. We instantly experience 



42 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

that perfect perception of depth of space and relative 
distance of objects which constitute the charm of this 
beautiful little instrument. 

Now, the two eyes in every act of vision act the part 
both of a double camera and of a stereoscope y a double 
camera in taking the two pictures, a stereoscope in com- 
bining them for stereoscopic effect. Let me explain : I 
have already said that we have light-images upon the 
retinal screens of our ej^es. I have said also that these 
light-images, or the molecular changes w r hich they de- 
termine, are projected outward into space, and become 
there visible external images or objects. J prefer to 
call them images, the signs of objects, because each eye 
has its own retinal images, and, projecting these out- 
ward, forms its own external field of view crowded 
with its own external images. There are, therefore, in 
binocular vision, two images for every object. These 
double images, under certain conditions, may be ob- 
served to move with the motions of the eye. Whenever 
we look at any object, we adjust the position of the 
eyes in such wise that the two images of that object, 
one belonging to the one eye, and the other to the 
other, are brought together and superposed — are com- 
bined stereoscopically ', and the object is therefore seen 
single. By varying the position of the eyes, we combine 
successively the double images of objects far and near. 
It is by this combination of slightly dissimilar images 
— dissimilar because taken, photographed, from differ- 
ent positions in the two eyes — that we experience that 
wonderful intuitive perception of relative distance of 
objects which it is the glory of the stereoscope feebly 
to imitate. 



PERSONALITY OF DEITY. 43 

Finally : Besides all that I have said or can say 
about the beauty of this mechanism, beyond and above 
all this beautiful contrivance, this exquisite application 
of physical and chemical laws, there is that in the eye 
which transcends both physics and chemistry, or else 
is a physics and a chemistry more subtle than any we 
know; there is that which transcends all mechanism 
and contrivance, or else is a mechanical contrivance far 
more exquisite than any thing we can yet understand. 
In other words, there is life and intelligence. The eye 
is not repaired; it repairs itself. It is not adjusted ; it 
adjusts itself. The mind compares the images presented 
to it, and forms judgments and ideas. 

Now, some persons seem to think, perhaps some of 
you may think, that this, the inscrutable, the incom- 
prehensible, must grow less and less, and finally vanish 
before the light of science. Nothing can be further 
from the truth. Science cannot remove the incompre- 
hensible, but only increases it. «In proportion as we 
increase the domain of the comprehensible, do we in- 
crease the apparent vastness of the incomprehensible.' ™ 
The comprehensible in the midst of the incomprehensi- 
ble may be likened to a circle of light in the midst of 
infinite darkness. It is ever the effort of science to in- 
crease the area of that circle. But, in proportion as 
we increase the circle of light, do we increase also the 
circumference of darkness; in proportion as we in- 
crease the area of the comprehensible, do we increase 
also the points of contact between the comprehensible 
and the incomprehensible, and we are therefore more 
and more penetrated with humility and reverence in 
presence of the incomprehensible. 



Vtf-f \ 



i4 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

Thus, then, as I have attempted to show, we have, 
in the eye and in the camera, similar structural contriv- 
ance for a similar purpose, the contrivance in the one, 
however, far more perfect than in the other. But ob- 
serve this further difference between the two : In the 
one we trace mechanism and physics and chemistry 
throughout. It must be so, as it is a product of human 
intelligence. In the other we trace similar mechanism, 
similar application of the laws of physics and chemis- 
try, but only to a certain point * and then we pass 
beyond mechanism to something utterly incomprehen- 
sible to us — we pass from the physical to the super- 
physical, from the comprehensible to the incomprehen- 
sible. It is so with all the works of Nature. We 
trace a likeness to the human — though a more perfect 
and divine human — to a certain point, and then it 
passes beyond our sight from the human to the perfect 
divine. As the Divine Master, standing in the midst 
of his gathering disciples, even while they gazed upon 
Him, was taken upward until the parting clouds re- 
ceived Him from their sight, even so in every incarna- 
tion, in every visible manifestation of Deity r , we trace 
the human upward, upward, as we study more and more 
deeply ; but, as with upturned faces and straining, 
worshiping eyes we gaze, it is carried up from the 
comprehensible to the incomprehensible, from the finite 
to the infinite, from the human to the divine. 



LECTURE III. 



CONTRIVANCE FOR BEAUTY. 



My Christian Friends : In my first lecture, you 
will remember, I attempted to show the evidences of 
intelligence in the general constitution of the universe, 
and in the animal frame. In my second lecture I at- 
tempted to show evidences of intelligence similar to 
our own, though infinitely superior, in the admirable 
structural contrivance of the eye. Thus far I have 
spoken only of contrivances for use, in adapting the 
animal body to external conditions ; instruments for 
use in contending with external enemies on every side ; 
weapons to be used in the sharp struggle for life. 

But there is much else in this w T orld besides use. 
Life is a time of happiness as well as of struggle. Life 
is intended for enjoyment as well as for battle. Nature 
must therefore be contrived so as to furnish materials 
of joy as well as materials of food. Beauty divides 
the empire of Nature with use. Everywhere we find it 
equally abundant and equally conspicuous. We see it 
in the diversified surface of our own green earth; we 
see it in the over-arching blue sky with its ever-chang- 
ing and ever-moving clouds. We see it in the setting 



46 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

sun, " arraying in purple and in gold the clouds that 
on his western throne attend ; " we see it in the spring- 
ing arch of the glorious rainbow; we see it in the 
sparkling dew-drop and the glittering gem. Neither 
is it less conspicuous in organic Nature. We see it in 
the brilliant and delicate tints of flowers, in the nacre- 
ous lustre of shells, in the metallic glitter of insects, 
in the painted wings of butterflies, and the gorgeous 
plumage of birds. And not only in form and color do 
we find it, but the air also of this enchanted isle, our 
earth, is full of sounds, " sweet sounds that give de- 
light and hurt not." Neither is all this for man alone. 
As far as microscopic view extends we find, and beyond 
it there doubtless exists, the same profusion of beauty. 
As far as the deep-sea plummet reaches we find, and 
beyond it there still exists, the same abundance. Back 
in the dark abyss of Time, as far as the geological rec- 
ord extends, we find, and beyond it we must believe 
there still existed, the same lavish strewing of beauty. 
It is as if beauty had been ordained for beauty's sake ; 
as if the Creator and Ordainer of all things delighted in 
beauty and in happiness. 

It is obvious, therefore, that use and beauty are 
equally conspicuous and abundant on this our earth. 
But the object of science is not to point out these 
results, for they are sufficiently obvious: the domain 
of science is to show the means and processes by which 
these results are attained ; in other words, to show con- 
trivance for use and contrivance for beauty. Now, all 
recognize the contrivance for use, though science alone 
shows the exquisite perfection of this contrivance. But 
is there also a contrivance for beauty ? Yes, there is 



CONTRIVANCE FOR BEAUTY. 47 

neither use nor beauty attained, either by man or in 
Nature, without intelligent contrivance. 

Human art is of two kinds : mechanic art audi fine 
art. The end or design of the one is use, the end or 
design of the other is beauty. We all recognize that 
the one end, viz., use, is never attained except by intel- 
ligent contrivance. But is this not equally true of the 
other also? The very meaning of the word "art" is 
intelligent arrangement or adjustment to attain certain 
ends. We do not usually call it contrivance in the case 
of fine art, because we cannot so well analyze the con- 
triving process of mind. Nevertheless, in fine art, too, 
there is adjustment according to certain laws — -not of 
use, indeed, but of proportion and of harmony ; and 
beauty is never attained except by intelligent adjust- 
ment or arrangement, in other words, hy contrivance, 
according to these laws. 

But it will be asked : "Is this true of those simplest 
elements of beauty which we have named above, viz., 
sound and color? Are not these the very materials of 
art? Are not these simplest elements of beauty in- 
capable of further analysis ? Is there contrivance also 
underlying beauty of sound and beauty of color ? " Yes ; 
even these simplest expressions of beauty are never 
attained in Nature except through appropriate contriv- 
ance. They are, indeed the simplest elements of 
human art, but not of the more exquisite divine art. 
To take the case of sound. I need not refer you to the 
exquisitely-contrived vocals organs of birds and of man, 
but proceed at once to the analysis of beautiful sound 
itself. The difference between musical sounds and 
mere noise, as is well known, consists only in the form 



43 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

and arrangement of the sound-waves, i. e., in the struct- 
ure of the transmitting medium while in the act of 
transmitting. Color seems at first sight still more simple 
and incapable of analysis, but even color is never pro- 
duced except by structural contrivance appropriate for 
that purpose. Let me explain : 

Remember, that sunlight consists of lights of many 
different colors mingled together. The effect of the 
whole is to produce white light. It is evident, there- 
fore, that colored lights may be produced either by 
separating these kinds of light from each other, or 
else by quenching some of them and leaving others. 
Now, in all cases of natural colors we find a structural 
contrivance appropriate to separate the colors, or to 
quench some of them. Some natural colors are pro- 
duced by simple separation or dispersion of light. Such 
are the colors of the rainbow, of the dew-drop, and of 
colorless gems under certain circumstances. But most 
natural colors are produced by quenching some of the 
colors of white light. There are two general methods 
by which this quenching is produced : one is by absorp- 
tion, and the other by interference. Thus, natural 
colors are of three kinds : dispersion-colors, absorption- 
colors, and interference-colors. I have already given 
examples of dispersion-colors. Nearly all the ordinary 
colors of colored bodies are examples of absorptio?i- 
colors. The manner in which such colors are produced 
may be explained, in a general way, as follows : There 
is a peculiar molecular structure in such bodies by 
which certain colored rays of white light are quenched, 
and the others come back to our eyes. If all the rays 
are quenched except red rays, the substance will appear 



CONTRIVANCE FOR BEAUTY. 49 

red ; if all are quenched except blue, the substance will 
be blue. The precise manner in which this is accom- 
plished is not yet fully understood, but there can be 
no doubt of the general fact that in all such cases cer- 
tain colored rays are quenched, and that this is accom- 
plished by means of a peculiar molecular structure. 

But that which is best understood is the arrange- 
ment for production of interference-colors. Colors of 
this kind are commonly called iridescence. Let us ex- 
plain how iridescence is produced : It is well known 
that ordinary water-waves may meet one another in 
such wise that they coalesce and produce a greater 
wave, or else interfere and entirely destroy each other. 
Similarly, a system of sound-waves may so meet an- 
other system, that they coalesce and produce a greater 
sound, or else interfere and produce silence. So is it 
also with waves of light. They also may coalesce and 
produce greater light, or else interfere and produce 
darkness. Now, if we take a transparent plate and 
make it thinner and thinner until its thickness is less, 
equal to or but little greater than the length of a wave 
of light, then the light which reflects from the nearer 
surface, and that which goes through and reflects from 
the farther surface, are so related to each other that 
they may coalesce or else interfere. Now, recollect 
that sunlight is composed of different kinds of rays. 
Furthei-, that their difference consists in the different 
lengths of their waves. Evidently, therefore, the thick- 
ness necessary to produce interference of red rays is 
different from that necessary to produce interference of 
blue rays. If, then, the thickness is such that the blue 
rays interfere, the plate will be red, but, if the thickness 
3 



50 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

be suitable for the interference of red rajs, the plate 
will be blue. Usually both colors will be seen in dif- 
ferent parts of the same plate, depending upon the 
varying thickness, or else upon the direction in which 
the light comes to the eye. Observe a child blowing a 
soap-bubble : first, the bubble is simply colorless ; 
gradually it becomes larger and larger, and therefore 
thinner and thinner, until suddenly it clothes itself in 
the glory of iridescence. As it continues to expand, 
the colors change with its thinness until it bursts. It 
is in this way we account for the iridescence of thin 
films on the surface of water, for iridescence of mica- 
scales, for the fiery red and delicate blue internal re- 
flections of the opal. In many cases we may even 
measure with the utmost accuracy the length of the 
waves of light, by measuring the thickness necessary 
to produce interference. 

Not only thin plates, but lines on the surface of 
any substance, if sufficiently fine and close, may reflect 
light in such wise as to produce interference, and there- 
fore iridescence. Points or pits also, if sufficiently fine 
and close together, produce a similar effect. It is in 
this way we account for the beautiful iridescence pro- 
duced by polishing the surface of many shells. The 
extremely thin layers thus cut through, outcrop on the 
surface in lines sufficiently fine and close to produce 
interference. The iridescent colors of the wing-cases 
of many insects are produced by fine lines or by fine 
points. Human art has imitated these beautiful effects 
of Nature. A plate of glass or of metal, ruled with lines 
sufficiently fine, becomes splendidly iridescent. Shall 
we ascribe this human result to intelligence, and the 



CONTRIVANCE FOR BEAUTY. 51 

similar natural result to chance f Thus, then, we con- 
clude that even color, as simple and incapable of analy- 
sis as it seems at first sight to be, is always produced 
by arrangement of molecules, or surfaces, or lines, or 
points, in other words, by appropriately -devised struct- 
ure. 

But there are far higher kinds of beauty than sound 
or color. These are the lowest, simplest, most sen- 
suous kinds of beauty. These simple elements of 
beauty, themselves the result of structural arrange- 
ment, are, in both human and divine art, again arranged 
and combined according" to the laws of harmony to pro- 
duce higher and higher beauty. Thus musical sounds, 
themselves the result of arrangement of waves, are 
combined with one another, by the musical composer, 
to form melody. Then melodies are again combined 
into more complex orchestral harmony, to produce still 
higher beauty. So with color also ; colors, themselves 
the result of structural contrivance, are combined or 
arranged by the painter to produce contrast or harmony 
of colors. The effects thus produced are again combined 
with form, to produce higher beauty. Again, these 
forms are grouped or arranged so as to give rise to still 
higher styles of beauty. Thus, in every case, you per- 
ceive, in proportion as the harmonic relations become 
more and more complex, the beauty becomes less and 
less sensuous, more and more intellectual — in other 
words, of a higher and still higher order. 

Precisely similar is it in Nature. Everywhere we 
find strewed with lavish profusion those simplest ele- 
ments of beauty, the beauty of sound and color. These 
colors of earth and sky are combined with one another 



52 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

to produce higher effects. Then these are again com- 
bined with forms of earth and sky, to produce land- 
scape. It is the glory of art to imitate Nature in these 
wonderfully harmonious combinations. But there is still 
a higher order of beauty in Nature which cannot be 
imitated by art. There is still a higher order of natural 
beauty which addresses itself only to the thoughtful 
mind — a beauty so high, so pure, so intellectual, that it 
is not usually recognized as beauty : I mean the beauty 
of orderly arrangement and orderly movement accord- 
ing to perfect law. I can best express my meaning by 
illustrations : 

You will remember that, in my first lecture, I com 
pared the solar system with a watch. But there is this 
difference : In the watch the whole structural arrange- 
ment is only for use y while in the solar system the 
wonderfully complex arrangement is ordained for beau- 
tiful order as well as for use. Observe the nature of 
the movements : the sun turns on its axis in a given 
direction ; the planets all revolve around in this same 
direction, and they all turn on their axes in the same 
direction. The satellites, again, revolve around their 
primaries in the same direction, and also turn on their 
axes in the same direction. The rapidity of motion 
and the times of revolution, and their distances from 
the sun, are also related to each other in harmonic 
proportions. Thus, all the members of the solar family 
move swiftly but silently through the intricate mazes 
of a mystic dance. Now, is all this for use only ? "What 
is the use which we trace distinctly here ? It is evi- 
dently to mark time, day and night, seasons and cycles, 
with perfect regularity and perpetuity. For this pur- 



CONTRIVANCE FOR BEAUTY. 53 

pose regularity and stability are required. Now, math- 
ematicians and physicists have proved that much of 
this beautiful order, for example, the direction of rota- 
tions, is not necessary either for stability or for th8 
regular marking of seasons and cycles. Evidently, 
then, here is order for the sake of beautiful order. 
This is that beautiful harmony, that music of the 
spheres, dreamed of by the old philosophers, and which 
even in their dreams filled them with ecstasy, but is 
only now clearly revealed to our waking minds by 
science. 

But the best illustrations of the combination of use 
and beauty, the best examples of contrivances for use 
and yet for beautiful order, are to be found in the or- 
ganic kingdom. Let us sketch the history of thought 
on this subject : 

First, the animal body was studied with reference 
to its wonderful mechanism, its admirable contrivances 
for use. This is the domain of the old natural theology. 
Then came, by the study of naturalists, the recogni- 
tion of the strange fact that in the animal body there 
are often rudimentary and therefore useless par Is. In 
certain species of whales, for example, where teeth are 
not wanted or used, the useless rudiments of teeth are 
found beneath the gums. In the wings of birds, the 
bones of the palm and fingers are found, but united and 
useless. In the flipper of the whale or of the turtle, the 
bones of the palm and of fingers are found, but soldered 
together. In the leg of a horse only one single bone 
is useful, but other bones of the palm are present as 
useless splint-bones. Even in man we find some use* 
less parts. For example, there are many muscles which 



54 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

are of use in the lower animals, but of no use to man ; 
yet they are found in man also, though in a rudiment- 
ary condition. 

At first these were supposed to be rare exceptions. 
They were acknowledged, however, to be utterly unac- 
countable on the principle of design for use — they were 
admitted to be difficulties which could not be explained 
upon the principle of intelligent contrivance for use. 
But they were supposed to be only rare exceptions. 
Soon, however, they were found to be very common. 
li Useless organs in a contrivance for use ! " exclaimed 
the skeptic. " Surely there is no contrivance, no in- 
telligence, here ; or, if intelligence, evidently a very 
blundering intelligence." The same folly has been re- 
peatedly committed by skepticism — the folly of attrib- 
uting blundering to Xature, when the blundering was 
only in the skeptic himself. Finally, by further pa- 
tient study of Nature, came the recognition of an- 
other law besides use — a law of order underlying and 
conditioning the law of use. Organisms are, indeed, 
contrived for use, but according to a preordained plan 
of structure which must not be violated. This is the 
domain of the new natural theology. 

This point is not easy to make clear, and yet too 
important and too beautiful to be neglected. I must, 
therefore, give some illustrations : 

The higher organisms, as the human body, for in- 
stance, are exceedingly complex, with many functions 
and many apparently diverse organs. But, observe : 
I say apparently diverse organs, because, when ana- 
lyzed to the last degree, all organs are found to be 
identical in their elementary structure. Organisms, 



CONTRIVANCE FOE BEAUTY, 55 

whether animal or vegetable, when reduced to their 
simplest anatomical elements, consist entirely of cells. 
Therefore, all organs consist of ceils, and all functions 
are cell-functions. Now, if we commence with the 
earliest embryonic condition of one of the higher ani- 
mals, and trace the various stages of development to 
the mature condition ; or else, commence with the low- 
est animal and run up the natural history series to the 
highest — we will, in either case, observe a similar 
series of changes. In the earliest embryonic condi- 
tion and in the lowest animals we find the cellular 
structure very simple, the cells being all similar in 
form, and the functions also are few and simple. As 
we go upward in the one series or the other, new func- 
tions continually arise, and the functions of the body 
become more and more numerous and complicated. 
Now, as each new function arises, must there be an en- 
tirely new elementary part introduced ? By no means. 
If use were the only end to be subserved, it might be 
so, but this would violate the original plan. The cell, 
therefore, is changed in its form, and thus adapted to 
the new function. Again, a new function, but no new 
elementary organ. The cell again takes on a new form, 
and performs a new function. Thus, in the higher 
animals, we find that a number of cells have taken on 
a peculiar shape, aggregated themselves into what we 
call an organ, and a special function is assigned to 
them. Another set of cells take on another peculiar 
form, aggregate into another organ, and have another 
special function assigned, and so for other functions. 
And thus the most complicated results are attained by 
the simplest conceivable means, and that without* the 



56 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

slightest violation of the original plan of structure, the 
cellular structure of the organism. 

Let me give a more obvious illustration: Take a 
seed — a pea or bean, for example. Taking off the en- 
velope, we find it consists of a short joint and a pair 
of leaves. As it grows, another joint with its pair of 
leaves is formed. As it still grows, again another 
joint with its leaf; and again another joint with its 
leaf, and so on. The whole stem consists of a mere 
repetition of these simple elements, joints and leaves. 
After a while, buds appear, which grow into branches ; 
but these, again, are only a series of joints and leaves, 
ad infinitum. Now, the function of leaves, as you 
all know, is the most wonderful and important in all 
organic nature. It is that of changing inorganic into 
organic matter, and thus furnishing the starting-point 
of all life. This wonderful function — the creation of 
organic matter — takes place nowhere else on the face 
of the earth except in the green leaves of plants. But, 
finally — it must be so, for the cycle of individual life 
quickly closes — finally, there arises another function, 
viz., reproduction. Now, this is a new function, not 
only different, but actually antagonistic in its whole 
nature to the other. Shall we not have new and en- 
tirely different organs for this new function ? By no 
means. The same organs, the joint and leaf, are modi- 
fied for this new function. For the flower also consists 
only of a number of joints and leaves variously modi- 
fied — some to form the calyx ; some more beautifully, to 
form the corolla ; some more strangely, to form stamens 
and pistils. Finally, in the ripened fruit, which is 
itself a developed pistil, and therefore a modified leaf, 



CONTRIVANCE FOR BEAUTY. 57 

we find again the seed from which we started. Thus, 
we have passed through the whole cycle of vegetation, 
and find nothing but a repetition of the same simple 
elements ; the plan unchanged throughout, but the 
parts variously modified to assume the various func- 
tions as they successively arise. 

But by far the most beautiful illustration I can 
give is found in the general structure of animals. Ani- 
mals are divided into four great types or plans of struct- 
ure, called respectively vertebrata, articulata, mol- 
lusca, and radiata. These are essentially different in 
their plan of structure, except in so far as they are 
connected by the universal cellular structure common to 
all organisms. We might compare them to different 
styles of architecture. We have several styles of hu- 
man architecture : the Eastern style, the Greek style, 
the Egyptian style, and the Gothic style. These may 
be variously modified, to adapt them to the various 
purposes for which buildings are used, and that, too, 
without violating the style. So also these four styles 
of divine architecture are modified to adapt them to 
the various purposes for which animals are created, 
but without violating the style of architecture. Again, 
from the point of view of use, we may compare them 
to four distinct machines. We have also many distinct 
human machines, each of which may be adapted to 
various purposes. So, also, these four divine machines 
are adapted by modification to various purposes. 

Now, far back " in the dark backward and abysm 
of time," there was a period when fishes were the only 
representatives of the vertebrate plan of structure. 
Evidently, at that time this plan of structure, or this 



58 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

machine, was adapted only to locomotion in water. It 
was a swimming-machine. Ages upon ages passed — 
930ns upon aeons — until the time was ripe and the earth 
was prepared, and reptiles were introduced. Now we 
have a new function, that of locomotion on land. Do 
w T e find a new organ introduced for this purpose ? By 
no means. The same organ which was the swimming 
organ before, by certain modifications of its parts, with- 
out essential change, becomes now a crawling organ. 
Ages upon ages pass away — aeons upon aeons — until 
the time was ripe and the earth was prepared, and 
birds were introduced. Here we have a new, a beauti- 
ful, a wonderful function — that of locomotion in air. 
Shall we not have a new organ for this ? By no means. 
The same organ is again slightly modified, and becomes 
the icing of a bird. Ages upon ages pass away — seons 
upon aeons — until the time was fully ripe, and the 
earth fully prepared, and man was introduced ; man 
made in the image of God ; man, endowed w T ith reason 
and capable of indefinite progress ; man, the inter- 
preter of Nature, and the worshiper of God. Now we 
want another and most exquisite organ, delicate and 
dexterous, which shall be the willing tool and the co- 
operator with the mind of man in his own progress — 
we want a hand. But Nature's laws are not violated 
even for man ; and again the same organ is slightly 
modified for this purpose. And thus in the hand of 
man, in the fore-foot of a quadruped, in the paw of a 
reptile, in the wing of a bird, and in the fin of the fish, 
the same organ is modified for various purposes. 

What I have said of this member is true of the 
whole structure. The vertebrate structure, the verte- 



CONTRIVANCE FOE BEAUTY. 59 

brate machine is modified by change in relative size of 
the parts, sometimes a part becoming rudimentary or 
even obsolete, but the plan remains the same through- 
out. Now we see, then, the meaning of useless organs. 
They are the successive steps of change ; they are the 
keys to the Divine plan ; they are the footprints of the 
Divine march. 

Now, man also makes his machines and adapts them 
to various purposes. Let us, then, for the sake of com- 
parison, follow the history of that triumph of human 
intelligence, the steam-engine. First, it was adapted 
for stationary work. After a while it was thought to 
adapt it for locomotion in water, for propelling boats, to 
make it a swimming-machine. But, for this purpose, es- 
sential changes of some parts and the introduction of 
entirely new parts was found absolutely necessary. 
Again, afterward, it was proposed to adapt it to locomo- 
tion on land, to make it a running-machine. Again, 
essential changes and new parts are introduced. Thus 
man, finite and short-sighted in his mind and limited in 
his resources, essentially changes his plan as new and 
unforeseen contingencies arise. But the Creator, fore- 
seeing the end from the beginning, provides for every 
possible contingency in the original conception. 

I know that many will say, "All this is explained by 
evolution." Yes, it is beautifully explained by evolu- 
tion ; and this constitutes, in fact, the strong argument 
in favor of an evolution of some kind. But, observe, 
this evolution, if true, is only the process by which 
these results are attained. The result is what consti- 
tutes the evidence of intelligence ; the process indicates 
only the hind and degree of intelligence ; the kind like 



60 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

our own, the degree infinitely superior. Again, the 
existence of useless organs is beautifully explained by 
evolution. It is, in fact, the key to evolution as it is to 
the Divine plan. But this only shows that evolution 
is the process by ichich the Divine plan is carried out. 
These two views, that which refers phenomena directly 
back to the primal intelligence, and that which refers 
them back to secondary and intermediate causes, have 
always existed and will always exist. They do not 
exclude each other. They are two formulas for the 
same thing ; the one the formula of religion, the other 
the formula of science. The one formula is an expres- 
sion of the domain of faith, the other of the domain of 
knowledge. Now, in the history both of the individual 
and of the race, faith precedes knowledge and must con- 
tinue to accompany it as long as we are finite beings. 
We are but children led by the hand of our loving 
spiritual Father. If we believe, we shall finally know 
the process ; if we believe not, we shall remain in dark- 
ness and ignorance forever. 

Again, another thought : We see around us every- 
where invariable laws. Now, intelligence in the pres- 
ence of invariable laws, or acting through invariable 
laws, can attain results only by contrivance. It is im- 
possible that there should be invariable laws without 
contrivance, or contrivance without invariable laws. 
We are hampered, conditioned, limited on every side, 
by the inviolable laws of Nature, and, in order to attain 
results, we are compelled to resort to indirect methods, 
to mechanical and other contrivances, in accordance 
with these laws. This is the meaning of the word con- 
trivance. Now, Deity himself, if He acts by laws, must 



CONTRIVANCE FOB BEAUTY. 61 

bring about results by what seem to us contrivances. 
Shall we then speak of Him, the unconditioned, as con- 
ditioned by the laws of Nature ? With our limited 
faculties, we cannot do otherwise. We cannot speak 
of Him, we cannot even think of Him, except under 
conditions. But, observe the difference betwixt Him 
and us, in this regard. These laws of Nature, which 
condition man, are external to him, and, therefore, in 
the nature of a law of necessity. But, to the Deity, 
they are not external ; they are the laws of his own 
being — they are the modes of operation of his own 
will, perfect, because He is perfect, invariable, because 
He is unchangeable. Thus, then, the laws of Nature 
are to Him not a law of necessity, but a law of free- 
dom. In other words, they are not conditions at all, 
in the sense in which we use that word, in speaking of 
man. With this explanation, I will still continue to 
use the word conditions. 

Contrivance for use, then, is conditioned by the laws 
of force ; contrivance for beauty is conditioned by the 
laws of form. Thus, there are two great departments 
of human art — mechanical arts, and fine arts. The end 
of the one is use j the end of the other is beauty. One 
is the human embodiment of the laws of force; the 
other is the human embodiment of the laws of form. 
Mechanical art or useful art is conditioned by the laws 
of force, or what we have called the law of use. Fine 
art is conditioned by the laws of form, or what we have 
called the law of beauty. There are some arts, how- 
ever, which belong to both departments. Such is the 
art of architecture. Architecture is intended for use ; 
it is also intended for beauty. It is conditioned by the 



62 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

laws of force; it is conditioned also by the laws oifovm. 
Thus conditioned by two laws, and having two distinct 
ends, it is far more difficult to attain perfect results. 
For this reason, architecture is the most complex and 
the most imperfect of all fine arts. We are compelled 
sometimes to sacrifice use for beauty, sometimes beauty 
for use. To take any pure style of architecture, and 
adapt it to all kinds of purposes, so as to attain at the 
same time the most perfect use and the highest beauty, 
and all without violation of the style, is to our finite 
faculties almost impossible. Now, it is just this very 
thing which is done in Nature. The most complete 
results are attained, although the work is conditioned, 
at every step, both by the laws of force and by the laws 
of form. 

Finally, see this Divine work, this great and beau- 
tiful work of art, which we call the universe ! not made 
for use only, but also for beauty — not conditioned by 
the laws of force only, but also by the laws of form. 
It has been often and well compared to architecture. 
But not architecture for use only, but also for beauty ; 
not a mill or work-house only, in which we each have 
our daily work, but also a glorious temple in which 
we all have the duty and the privilege of daily zoor- 
ship. 



LECTURE IV. 



My Chkisttan Friends : We have thus far at- 
tempted to show that the God revealed in Nature, 
like that revealed in Scripture, is not an impersonal, 
all-pervading principle, as supposed by the pantheist, 
but an infinite Personal Intelligence, contriving for use 
and for beauty. But there is still something more re- 
quired for the highest and purest conception of Deity, 
and accordingly we have something more revealed in 
both of these books. You all remember the memora- 
ble words of the Divine Master : " God is a spirit : 
and they who worship Him must worship him in spirit 
and in truth." Now, Nature also reveals a similar 
Deity, and enjoins a similar worship. Nature, too, if 
it reveals any Deity at all, reveals a spiritual Deity — a 
Being who thinks and wills and worJcs everywhere 
around us and within us, and yet is not seen by us. 
The subject of my lecture this evening is contained in 
the words of the Divine Master just quoted : God is 
spirit; therefore, worship must be spiritual; or, 
" Spirit and its relation to formP 

What is spirit ? What evidence have we of the 
existence of any such thing as spirit ? My friends, 



64 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

how often in this material age do we hear this ques- 
tion asked ! How often do we silently and, perhaps, 
anxiously ask this question of ourselves ! But no one 
asks, What is matter, and what evidence have we of 
the existence of matter ? Yet, it seems to me thaFthe 
evidence in the two cases is precisely the same, both 
in kind and degree. For, observe : How do we define 
matter ? It is something which has extension and 
inertia, and possibly color and weight, and other well- 
known properties. But these are only properties of 
that something ; they are only phenomena by means 
of which matter reveals itself to us through our senses ; 
they are only matter as it appears to us. But that 
substance in which these properties inhere, that some- 
thing which underlies these appearances, the essential 
nature of matter — of this we know and can know ab- 
solutely nothing. So precisely is it with spirit. We 
define it as something which thinks and wills and feels. 
But thought, will, emotion, these again are but phenom- 
ena revealing themselves to us in consciousness. But 
that which lies behind these ; that something which 
thinks, wills, feels ; that substance or substratum in 
which these properties and phenomena inhere — of this, 
the essential spirit, we know and can know absolutely 
nothing. 

Thus, all human knowledge is necessarily phenome- 
nal. Essential knowledge belongs to God alone. The 
materials of human knowledge are all revealed- — re- 
vealed through our senses ; revealed in our conscious- 
ness ; revealed in Scripture. We accept these by 
faith , and the true and only function of reason ia to 
arrange and organize these into rational form. 



THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 65 

It is liard for proud human philosophy to accept 
this — the limitation of the human faculties. The old 
Greek philosophy, the very type of proud human phi- 
losophy, despised this phenomenal knowledge. " Things 
as they seem ! things as they appear I This kind of 
knowledge," they said, " belongs to the people ! This 
is popular knowledge, not philosophy ! The true aim 
of philosophy is to know things as they are, not as 
they seem ; is essential knowledge, not phenomenal 
knowledge." The questions, therefore, which these 
proud philosophers attempted to solve were not con- 
cerning the phenomena and laws of matter and of 
spirit, but rather the essential nature of matter and 
spirit — in a word, of being. These were the high 
questions upon which the greatest energies of, perhaps, 
the greatest minds the world ever saw, expended them- 
selves. And what was the necessary result ? Not the 
slightest advance in true scientific knowledge. These 
intellectual Titans would scale the heavens and usurp 
the very throne of God ; and of course were cast down 
again to earth. But science accepts what was rejected 
by the old Greek philosophy. Science has accepted 
phenomena as the legitimate and only domain of hu- 
man reason. This sensuous embodiment of essential 
knowledge, this incarnation of divine truth, despised 
by the old Greek philosophers, is the basis upon which 
the whole fabric of our modern science has been erect- 
ed. This humble stone, rejected by the old Greek 
builders, has been accepted by science and become 
" the head of the corner." 

This limitation of the domain of our human knowl- 
edge is universally recognized in science, but the old 



66 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

Greek spirit still lingers in metaphysics. The tran- 
scendental philosophy of Germany still vainly strives 
to attain a higher and different kind of knowledge from 
that which belongs to the people ; still is unwilling to 
acknowledge that true scientific knowledge is only a 
more perfect and rational form of popular knowledge. 

All our knowledge, then, is phenomenal and not es- 
sential. But there are two distinct groups of phenom- 
ena — one belonging to matter, the other belonging to 
spirit — so distinct, so widely separated in their nature, 
that we cannot now and probably never will be able to 
bring- them together into one group. If there is any place 
where we might hope to bring these two groups in con- 
tact, and show that they are really one, evidently that 
place is our own human body, where we know both are 
exhibited. Hence, this has ever been the favorite field 
of the materialist. We trace sensation as a vibratory 
thrill which is conveyed by the nerves from the exter- 
nal world to the brain. We go further, and determine 
the very velocity of that vibratory thrill — and it has 
been determined. We go further, and find that every 
phenomenon of thought, will, or emotion, is connected 
with certain changes in the brain. We go still further, 
and find that there is a quantitative relation between 
the change in the brain and the amount of intellectual 
or emotional work. We may hereafter go still further, 
and find for every faculty of the mind a particular por- 
tion of the brain. We may possibly, in the future, go 
still further, and find that there is a particular kind of 
molecular vibration corresponding to each kind of emo- 
tion or thought. We may find, as some have ima- 
gined, a right-handed gyration of molecules, correspond- 



TEE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 67 

ing with love, and a left-handed gyration correspond- 
ing with hate. Suppose all this, and much more than 
we can now imagine, be traced. Are we any nearer 
the identification of matter and spirit ? Is there any 
conceivable connection between these material changes 
and the phenomena of thought, will, and emotion, with 
which they are associated ? There is, and must ever 
be, trace it ever so far, an impassable gulf between 
these two groups. They are phenomena of different 
orders — the one inherent in matter, the other inherent 
in spirit. It is right that we should use different terms 
to express the underlying substance in which these 
different properties inhere. 

But, faith in this spiritual world, how different is 
it from that which we have in the material world ! 
How clearly, how distinctly we realize this material 
world ; how feebly we realize the existence of the spir- 
itual world ! What is the reason of this difference ? 
The answer, I believe, is perfectly plain. It is, that our 
7)iatericd senses — the senses through which this mate- 
rial world reveals itself to us — are so acute, so strong, 
so clear, while our spiritual senses are so dull and fee- 
ble. It is as if the spirit were sunk, immersed overhead, 
and drowned, in our sensuous nature ; so that this sen- 
suous world seems to be our only native element, the 
only element in which we live, and move, and have our 
being. 

Man is an anomaly in the universe. He lives, or 
ought to live, in two worlds, a spiritual and a material. 
He is a child of his spiritual Father, God, but he is also 
the child of his material mother, the earth, a_diyine 
spark inhabiting a clod of dust. Living in these two 



68 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

worlds, he has senses appropriate to both, and by means 
of which knowledge or perception is direct, immediate, 
and therefore transcends analysis. Our intuitions are 
in the nature of spiritual senses, by which we attain 
knowledge directly, by processes which transcend the 
power of our analysis. In the ideal condition of man 
— whether regarded as a condition from which we have 
fallen, or a condition to which we have not yet 
attained — in the ideal condition of man, as we can 
conceive him, these two worlds are equally his; his 
senses in each are equally acute, his life in each 
equally vigorous, and therefore his realization of both, 
equally distinct and clear. In such a condition, I sup- 
pose, to attempt to prove the existence of the spirit, 
would be simply an impertinence. It would be already 
more certain than any reasoning or any proof could 
make any thing. We would realize it as we now do the 
external, material world around us. 

But, alas ! man is sadly imperfect, whether by fall 
or otherwise, in his spiritual nature. His spirit is, as it 
were, immersed and drowned in his sensuous nature. 
His spiritual senses are dull and stupid : having eyes, 
he sees not; having ears, he hears not. His spirit 
is not dead, indeed, but in deep, opiate sleep, and dream- 
ing : some, frightful nightmare dreams, which shake 
the soul with terror ; others, sweet dreams of a happy 
life hereafter ; but all of us, only dreaming. 

You will doubtless, many of you, recollect Plato's 
doctrine of reminiscence. It has had a great charm to 
my mind as suggestive of profound truth. According to 
Plato, we all once lived in a state of existence higher 
and more spiritual than our present life. For some 



THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 69 

wrong-doing, we were banished and compelled to take 
up our abode in material, animal, brutish bodies. In 
this state we have forgotten our higher life. Sudden 
glimpses of glorious truth, which sometimes come to 
philosophic genius, inspirations of poetic genius, reve- 
lations which come from time to time to the great teach- 
ers of the world — these are but remi?iiscences of this 
former, higher life. 

Now, every one, who has ever thought much, must 
have had experiences like those which gave rise to Pla- 
to's doctrine ; truth, indeed, does come to the mind sud- 
denly, like an inspiration — like a reminiscence of some- 
thing which we had forgotten — like a sudden revela- 
tion — like an opening of eyes and restoration of sight. 
Ah ! who that has thought, has not felt the joy of the 
moment of inspiration ? All our best thoughts come in 
this way. The whole function of reason is afterward 
to verify, and arrange, and systematize these sudden in- 
spirations ; and it is in this subsequent process that 
science i$ so far superior to all other departments — in 
this power of reducing to perfect form — of chiseling 
the rough block for its appropriate place, in the build- 
ing of organized knowledge. 

Now, this joy of the scientist in the sudden percep- 
tion of truth, the joy of the artist in the sudden per- 
ception of glorious beauty, the still higher joy of the 
Christian in the influence of the Divine Spirit — these 
are the evidences of the spiritual life, the reminis- 
cences of our higher life. In proportion as we cherish 
these reminiscences, do we again live that higher life. 
But, alas ! how like angels' visits are these moments of 
joy S In all of us, this higher life is so weak that it 



70 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

seems like a reminiscence, a dream. Thus we, like dull- 
eyed lotus-eaters, lying listless upon the shores of Time, 
far away from our home and our loved ones, we love 
to talk and dream, with half-shut eyes, of that distant 
home, and those loved ones ; but alas ! how imperfectly 
do we realize their existence ! 

How shall we, then, realize more perfectly the exist- 
ence of a spiritual world ? Is not this, indeed, the ques- 
tion of questions ? Is there any question more impor- 
tant than this ? Is not the realization of a higher spir- 
itual world and a higher life the great want which we, 
all of us, feel ? Is not the absence of this realization, 
the difficulty of realizing any thing but this material 
world, the great bar to religion ? How shall we, then, 
realize the spirit-world — God, and the immortal soul — 
as a verity, as we do the material world ? I answer, not 
by thought, or by reason, but by life and activity in 
that world. How is it in regard to the material world 
— how do we realize this ? By thought and reason ? 
no ; by activity. Thought and reason, so far from prov- 
ing to us the existence of the external world, and help- 
ing us to realize it, only teach us to doubt it. There 
have been philosophers who, by going into their closets, 
shutting the door, closing their eyes, stopping their 
ears, and turning their whole mind in upon itself, have 
actually reasoned themselves into the belief that the 
external world is a mere delusive image of interior 
states of the mind, projected outward by a law of the 
mind itself — an unreal phantasmagoria floating about 
us There have been some philosophers who have 
reached this conclusion, as the result of pure thought, 
unchecked by activity and the faith which comes of ac- 



THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 71 

tivity. But, as soon as the philosopher opens the door 
of his study, and steps out into the world, all his faith 
in the material world returns. So, precisely, is it with 
the spiritual world. It is not by thought or by reason 
that the existence of the spiritual world — that those 
great spiritual truths, God, and immortality, and the 
fundamental truths of Christianity — can be realized as 
verities ; but by activity, prayerful, loving, helpful ac- 
tivity in the spiritual world. Accept these truths by 
faith, as the revelations of consciousness and of Script- 
ure — act upon them, and we will find that in propor- 
tion as our spiritual activity is more vigorous, in pro- 
portion as we cultivate the higher faculties of the soul, 
which are connected with these truths — in the same 
proportion does the spiritual world become to us a 
reality, requiring no proof. 

You will doubtless remember the answer of the 
Divine Master to the carping Jews, asking for a sign to 
prove the truth of his doctrines. It contains the pro- 
foundest philosophy : " If ye will do the will of my 
Father, ye will know of the doctrine, whether it be of 
God." Do first and know afterward ; knowledge comes 
as the reward of faithful obedience. Thus, then, you 
will observe, the function of faith and of activity is to 
give realization of the spiritual world precisely as it 
does the material world, and thus to furnish the mate- 
rials of knowledge ; the function of reason is to bring 
the materials, thus furnished, into consistency with each 
other, and thus to give them a true rational form. 

If, then, we accept the existence of a spiritual world, 
if God and the human soul are spiritual, then the only 
true worship must be spiritual worship / " They who 



12 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" 
This brings us to the second part of our subject. 

If there be one characteristic of Christ's teaching 
more conspicuous than any other, it is perhaps the con- 
stant assertion of the spirit against the letter in the 
interpretation of Scripture, and against mere forms and 
hypocrisy in worship. " Ye make void the law through 
your traditions." " Ye tithe mint and anise and cum- 
in, and neglect the weightier matters of the law." 
"I would have mercy, and ye give only sacrifice" 
Thus it is everywhere throughout his teaching. In his 
sermon on the mount, whenever He commences, " Ye 
have heard that it hath been said," then follows the 
mere formal and literal expression of the law; but, 
whenever he continues, " But I say unto you," then 
follows its innermost spiritual significance. 

Thus, then, true worshi p is alway s the upfwaxdjmrn- 
ing of our spirits in childlike love and reverence jfcow- 
arcl the Father of our spirits. Evidently, therefore, 
forms are of use, and can be of use, only in so far as 
they are helps to the weak spirit — only as they embodj?- 
and reveal our spiritual states, and thus strengthen 
them. You will observe, Christ does not condemn 
forms, for he says, " These ought ye to have done and 
not to leave the other undone." As helps, however, to 
the weak spirit, and the wavering faith, beyond all 
doubt, forms are of inestimable importance, and it 
seems to me the tendency of the age is too much to 
underrate them. 

What, then, is the nature and degree of religious 
form consistent with a true spiritual worship? You 
will at once recognize the almost infinite importance 



TEE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 13 

of this question. The question lies in my way. I will 
not avoid it, particularly as there is a tendency in the 
present age to despise forms — a tendency, perhaps, 
strongest among scientific men, and therefore supposed 
to be the natural result of the study of Nature. Many 
say, " God is a spirit, and, therefore, the spirit of man 
must worship Him face to face everywhere, and without 
forms of any Jcind" Now, the philosophy of forms 
is not a question of religious worship only ; it is a ques- 
tion which underlies our whole human life. Form in 
relation to spirit ; form veiling, yet revealing the spirit ; 
form concealing, yet expressing and adorning — is not 
this the very philosophy of society? Is it not the 
very philosophy of art; is it not the philosophy of 
clothing and dress ? Is it not the very condition of all 
our civilization and of all our culture ? Is it not, indeed, 
the very philosophy of humanity ? Such being the 
comprehensiveness of this subject, of course I can do 
nothing more than touch lightly upon a point here and 
a point there, regarding the subject always from my 
own point of view, as a student of Nature, and then 
leave the thoughts thus presented as bare suggestions 
which you may follow out for yourselves : 

1. The necessity of forms. Man is, indeed, spirit- 
ual, and a true worship is, therefore, none other than 
an answering of his spirit to the Infinite Spirit. But 
man's spirit is incased in a material body, and is 
therefore reached only through material means, and 
reveals itself only through sensuous forms. Let me 
illustrate this fact from several departments : 

First, in the realm of Science. Simple truth ad- 
dressed to the intellect only, as bare abstract proposi- 
4 



74 RELIGION AND SCIENCE, 

tions, how feebly is it grasped by the human inind * 
But let the same truth be illustrated in the physical 
phenomena of Nature, or let it be embodied in a work 
of mechanic art, and how clear and distinct is our con- 
ception of it now ! So also in the realm of fine art. 
The beautiful conceptions of genius which float like 
summer clouds in the clear heaven of the poet's mind, 
"like summer clouds vanish, and leave not a rack 
behind," unless incarnated, embodied in glorious forms 
of immortal verse. A noble, strong, and manly spirit ! 
is there any thing so grand and noble as this — the 
very type of all grandeur, the reality, of which all other 
grandeur is but the feeble symbol ? But how much 
more this impresses us if inclosed in a noble manly 
form! A beautiful spirit! is there any beauty like 
this, the very type of all beauty, all other kinds being 
but feeble imitations, and only worthy as they embody 
and express this, the true spiritual beauty ? But how 
our perception of this is intensified, how we all bow in 
admiration, in reverence, almost in worship, when this 
is inclosed in a lovely womanly form! It is this 
which makes Art, along with Science and Religion, one 
of the three great teachers of the human Tace. Think 
of it ! The ideal human form, as embodied in Greek 
art ! What does its beauty consist in ? It is a symbol 
which reveals to us the beautiful human spirit; and 
then, in contrast with this, we remember our own spirit- 
ual deformity. We look at this picture, and then at 
that. Is not this, indeed, a teacher of humanity ? 

Now, if it be so in human things, how much more 
must it be so in divine things ; so much more difficult 
is it for us to realize divine things ! The Deity must 



TEE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 75 

be visibly embodied in Nature. He must be embodied 
again in more human form in Scripture. He must be 
again embodied in perfect human form like ourselves, 
in Christ, before he can thoroughly reach the mind 
and the heart of man. Thus, also, the great truths of 
Christianity must be embodied in a visible church; 
must be embodied again in a more human form in the 
lives of good men about us, before they can thoroughly 
impress and move us. Thus is it also with worship. 
Worship must embody itself in visible forms before it 
can reach and affect our spirits, so deeply are they in- 
cased and embedded in the sensuous. 

2. The continued use or frequent repetition of forms. 
There are many persons who seem to think that forms, 
however they impress at first, utterly lose their power 
by frequent repetition. On the contrary, if the forms 
are really appropriate — if they are the natural embodi- 
ment of the spiritual state — they only help the spirit 
more and more with every repetition. Is it not so with 
other kinds of forms ? We read a passage of poetry, 
and it produces a certain exalted condition of mind. 
In a little while it passes away, leaving only a small 
residual effect. Neither memory nor imagination can 
revive the emotion. We must read it again and again. 
The very form and the rhythm are absolutely necessary 
to the emotionate effect. We look upon a picture, and 
it produces certain emotional effects; with the with- 
drawal of the picture these rapidly fade away, and can- 
not be again revived in their fullness, except by the 
re-presentation of the sensuous form. We listen to a 
strain of music; the effect may linger a while like 
echoes in the soul, but it soon passes away. Neither 



76 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

memory nor imagination can recall the emotion ; the 
very form itself must be again presented to the senses. 
Thus it is always in appropriate form ; and this is the 
test of appropriateness. No work of art is worthy the 
name unless it can bear this repetition. No painting 
is_ worthjseeing unless it is worth seeing hundreds of 
times with ever-increasing effect. No music is worth 
hearing, that is not worth hearing a thousand times, 
and always with increasing effect. No novel or drama 
is worth reading, at least as a work of art, unless we 
can read it for the hundredth time with still-increasing 
pleasure. 

Thus is it also with forms of worship when they 
are really appropriate. Every time we bow the head 
and bend the knee in prayer, the spirit of prayer — the 
spirit of humility and reverence — descends upon us in 
greater abundance. Every time we lift our voices and 
join in praise, the soul is borne upward with easier and 
easier flight. And especially is this true if the song 
is old as well as appropriate, for then all the throng- 
ing associations of previous religious emotion come 
rushing upon the soul. 1 Thus it always is if we strive 
earnestly to cultivate the spirit through the form. The 
principle is perfectly plain. It is this : The tendency 
of form, when appropriate, is always to produce that 
spiritual state of which it is the natural expression. 
The forms of politeness have a tendency to produce 
and to cultivate those feelings of kindness and gentle- 
ness of which they are the natural expression. The 

1 Beauty is often enhanced by novelty ; but it is also enhanced 
by clustering associations — and this latter is especially true of reli- 
gious forms. 



THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 11 

position of prayer has a tendency to produce in the 
spirit that condition of humility and reverence of which 
it is the natural expression. There are some persons, 
usually persons of noble, truthful character, and there- 
fore despising hypocrisy and hollow form, who say, 
" We cannot, will not assume the form of worship un- 
less the spirit of worship is already in the heart." I 
deeply respect the feeling-. But let such persons re- 
member the law that form tends to produce the spirit- 
ual state — that we reach and cultivate the spirit through 
the form. 

3. The danger of excess "of form. The spirit is 
weak and requires help of sensuous form ; but sense is 
strong, often too strong for the weak spirit. If the 
sensuous predominates too greatly it overpowers the 
spirit : we stop at the sensuous embodiment, and never 
reach the spirit at all. It is so not only in worship ; it 
is so in every department of life. The tendency of the 
mind everywhere is to stop at the means, and forget 
the true end ; to stop at the symbol, and forget the 
thing signified ; to stop at the form and forget the 
spiritual state which it was intended to cultivate. This 
is the fruitful source of idolatry ; we must have a sen- 
suous visible embodiment of Deity ; but, when we have 
it, we stop there and lift the heart no higher. This is 
the fruitful source of dead forms ; we must express our 
spiritual states in forms, but if the forms are excessive 
we are apt to stop there and our worship begins and 
ends in forms. This is also the fruitful source of all 
the imposing shams, the false and vain and hollow 
splendors of this world which dazzle the eyes of the 
multitude so much. For this reason many earnest 



78 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

persons run into the other extreme and saj, " If these 
be effects of forms we will have none of them." But 
this extreme is even worse than the other ; for, if too 
much form oppresses^ too little form exposes the naked- 
ness of the spirit; if one smothers , the other leaves the 
weak spirit to perish with cold. 

4. The law of the use of forms. As I have already 
said, forms are intended to help the weak spirit. 
Therefore, as the spirit grows stronger and purer, forms 
should, it seems to me, grow fewer and simpler ; there 
is an inverse relation between spirit and form. 

We may illustrate this inverse relation in many 
ways. Take, first, the case of forms of society. I think 
there can be no doubt that, as we advance toward an 
ideal condition of society, ceremonious forms are put 
aside more and more, until, in an absolute ideal condi- 
tion, nearly all that we call forms must pass away 
entirely. Whatever of form would remain would be 
but the spontaneous expression of the spiritual states. 
The forms of politeness, for instance, would become 
only the spontaneous expression of kindness and gentle- 
ness of heart, and therefore would no longer be forms, 
as we usually call them. The history of the Church, it 
seems to me, reveals the same law. You will recollect, 
at the coming of the Divine Master, what a multitude 
of minute additional forms had incrusted the Jewish 
church, full of forms and splendid symbols as it was at 
all times. All of these were cast off by Him as the 
founder of a new and more spiritual religion, and the 
forms of worship used by Him were only those of the 
simplest conceivable kind. I know not that He used 
any other than the bowed or prostrate form of prayer. 



THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF DEITY. 79 

In apostolic times, while the spiritual life was still 
strong, the forms appear to have been few and simple. 
But, as decay of spiritual life progressed in after-times, 
the vital spark became more and more embedded in an 
ever-increasing mass of obesity until it seemed almost 
extinct. With the Reformation came a revival of 
spiritual life and a greater simplicity of forms. Again, 
whatever opinions we may have about puritanism, 
every candid historian must admit that the puritan 
movement was an assertion of the dignity of the human 
spirit, in the midst of the hollow and frivolous forms of 
that time. 

Thus must it always be. But the mistake, which 
most persons make, is that they suppose the decaying 
life is always the result of the increasing forms. On 
the contrary, increasing forms is rather the sign than 
the cause of decay. So far from forms, even excessive 
forms, being always the cause of decay, they seem often 
conservative in their effect — they seem to incrust and 
inclose the feeble life as in a chrysalis shell, and thus 
protect it from either death or corruption. Like the 
accumulating ashes of an expiring fire, they seem to 
preserve from utter extinction. If we will throw off 
forms, then, let us beware that we do not expose the 
nakedness of the weak spirit, and thus destroy its feeble 
life ; let us be very sure that it is only the growing, 
swelling spirit breaking the outward shell. 

5. Forms change. Forms of all kinds are and must 
be human, and, therefore, like all things human, must 
change in order to adapt themselves to the growing 
spirit. All spiritual things, but more especially divine 
things, must put on sensible, human, changing form in 






80 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

order suitably to affect us. Divine truth revealed in 
Nature must take on the human, growing, developing 
form of science before it thoroughly reaches and affects 
our minds. Divine truth revealed in Scripture must 
take on the human form of theology, which also must 
necessarily change with more enlightened interpreta- 
tion. The divine nature itself must take on a human, 
changing, growing, developing body in order thoroughly 
to be appreciated by us. It is, therefore, a universal 
law : every thing divine must take on human, and 
therefore changing, developing form in order suitably 
to affect us. Therefore, the Church, also, the visible 
form and body of the living spirit of Christianity, must 
and ought to be subject to change. Every form, wheth- 
er of society, or government, or of the Church, ought 
to change, by yielding quietly to the pressure of the 
growing spirit : otherwise, the pressure increasing, the 
petrified shell is violently burst, and cast off by revolu- 
tion. 



LECTURE V. 

ESSENTIAL NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES OE DEITY. 

My Christian Friends : In my previous lectures 
I have spoken of the personality and of the spiritual 
nature of Deity. According to promise, I now come to 
speak of his attributes. 

Matter and spirit reveal themselves to our senses 
through properties. Person reveals itself to our minds 
through character. Deity reveals Himself to us through 
attributes. Of these, we will speak first of what are 
called his essential attributes^ viz., omnipresence, eter- 
nity, unchangeableness, omniscience, and omnipotence. 
These are called essential attributes, because they are 
most nearly connected with his essential nature. They 
are, as it were, the first step from his essential nature 
in the downward flow of revelation from Him to us. 
There is, however, one attribute, if attribute it may be 
called, which is higher even than these essential attri- 
butes. There is one which stands above these, and 
from which these themselves seem to flow. I know 
not whether I should call it an attribute at all. It is, 
rather, the nearest approach which the human mind 
can make to conceive, and human language to express, 



82 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

the essential nature itself of Deity. I refer, of course, 
to absolute, unconditioned Being. 

We look around us upon Nature and we see all 
matter in constant movement, circulation, change; 
phenomena ever shifting, fleeting, varying. The un- 
thinking mind rests satisfied upon these shifting, fleet- 
ing, varying phenomena ; but the thoughtful mind, just 
in proportion as it exercises its human faculty of 
thought, is dissatisfied with these, and seeks and must 
ever seek something more fixed from which these 
phenomena are derived, and upon which they rest as 
their cause. This, indeed, is the chief and only object of 
science. Science ever seeks the fixed in the midst of the 
varying. She passes first from the infinitely variable 
phenomena to the more fixed laws of Nature ; from 
these again to the more fixed forces. But these, also, 
she finds are not absolutely fixed. These forces — 
electricity, magnetism, gravity, heat, light, and vital 
force — are also changeable the one into the other. It 
ascends, therefore, still higher for something more uni- 
versal and fixed, and the last term of scientific thought 
is and must be the recognition of one universal, all- 
pervading force. 

Again, science passes from the fleeting phenom- 
ena to the more fixed immediate causes : from them it 
passes to higher, more fixed, and more general causes : 
from these, again, to still higher and more general 
causes. Thus step by step it ascends, and cannot rest 
except in the recognition of o?ie universal first cause. 

Everywhere we find the same process of thought 
and the same termination. Take one more example: 
The cycle of human life, so rapidly changing and so 



ESSENTIAL NATURE OF DEITY. 83 

quickly closing", is itself embraced in the more general 
and slower movement of the development of the human 
race. But this, also, is a cycle ; this, also, had a begin- 
ning, and must also close. But it is again embraced in 
another and still more slowly-moving cycle of changes, 
viz., the evolution of the organic kingdom. This, 
however, in its turn had a beginning, and must also 
close ; but it is again in its turn embraced in another still 
more slowly-moving, more slowly-changing cycle, the 
cycle of the life of the earth. And this is again em- 
braced in a still grander cycle of the life of this our 
solar system. And this, again, in another still grander, 
still longer, still more slowly-moving cycle, so slowly 
moving that our human senses cannot detect it, yet we 
know it had a beginning, it must have passed through 
changes, and it must have an end — I mean the cycle 
of the cosmos, of the beautiful order of the material 
universe. But the mind cannot stop here — it is inevi- 
tably and logically driven one step higher. There must 
be a life which has no beginning, is not subject to 
evolution, and has no close. There must be an exist- 
ence which is not thus involved in a cycle. 

Thus on every ascending line of thought we inevi- 
tably reach the same result. In the midst of the varia- 
ble there must be an invariable ; in the midst of the 
fleeting, shifting, and changing, there must be the eter- 
nal and unchanging ; in the midst of all the derived 
and caused existences around us, there must be some- 
thing from which these are derived and by which they 
are caused, but which is itself underived and uncaused. 
There must be a self-existing Being — a Life underived, 
all embracing, all-supporting, by whom all other things 



34 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

exist, in whom all things consist ; besides whom there 
is in the deepest sense no other existence, whose exist- 
ence taken away, blotted out, and there remains — 
nothing. This is the unconditioned, absolute Being of 
God. 

Now, is it not wonderful that this, the last term of 
human thought, the highest result of human philosophy, 
the grandest idea that ever entered the human mind, 
should be found clearly and grandly expressed in the 
Hebrew Scriptures, written more than three thousand 
years ago : " And the Lord said unto Moses, I am that 
lam / say unto the children of Israel I am hath sent me 
to you." Can we imagine any words more grandly 
and perfectly expressive of simple, absolute, uncondi- 
tioned being? How can we explain this fact unless 
we admit those Hebrew Scriptures as a revelation ? 

It is believed that this idea of unconditioned being is 
expressed also by that most sacred Hebrew name Jeho- 
vah. It is said that this name was held in such deep rev- 
erence and sacred awe by the Jews of old, that they never 
allowed it to pass their lips. In reading the Scriptures, 
whenever this word occurred, they either substituted 
some other word, or else passed it over in silence and 
with bowed head. I have often thought that it would 
be well for us if we would take a lesson of reverence 
from these old Jews. I have often thought that there 
should be some one name for Him which should be 
pronounced but seldom, and then only when the heart 
was attuned with deep reverential emotion. If we 
must speak of Him, as indeed we must and frequently, 
let us speak of Him as the Deity, as the Creator, as the 
Author of Nature, as the Father of our spirits, as the 



ESSENTIAL NATURE OF DEITY. 85 

Holy One, the Good One, the Infinite One; but it 
would be well if we reserved one name which we never 
pronounced but with bated breath and quivering lips. 

The absolute, the unconditioned, the self-existing ! 
How shall I speak of this ? What can I say of that 
which lies beyond the reach of human thought ? What 
can I do, but simply to hold it up before you and leave 
it there? The unconditioned! Why, the attributes, 
even the highest attributes of Deity, as we conceive 
them, already condition Him. He cannot reveal him- 
self to us, except under conditions. We cannot speak 
of Him without conditions. We cannot think of Him 
even, in the highest flights of thought, without condi- 
tioning Him. To conceive clearly of the unconditioned, 
is simply impossible ; for, it is the attempt of the finite 
to grasp the infinite. To think much and long of the 
unconditioned is not good for us. It paralyzes the 
power of thought and bewilders the mind until finally 
we babble unintelligible jargon, as is notably the case 
with all the German philosophy of the unconditioned. 
To gaze too steadily and too long, only dazzles and 
blinds our eyes. Therefore, He has kindly revealed 
himself to us under material conditions, and with hu- 
man attributes, divinely human attributes in Nature, 
in Scripture, and in Christ. The insufferable light of 
the absolute must be veiled in order to be revealed 
to us. 

Let us, then, while we view his attributes in our 
human way, do so in the reflected light of the absolute. 
If we must think of Him and speak of Him in our 
human fashion — as, indeed, we must — let us bear the 
light of the absolute in our minds and in our hearts, 



86 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

that we may be duly affected with reverence and hu- 
mility. Indeed, we must think of Him and speak of 
Him in human fashion; how else can we apprehend 
Him and love Him ? But, we must do so in the light of 
the absolute ; how else can we worthily reverence and 
worship Him. With this light of the absolute still lin- 
gering in our minds and our hearts, let us then pass on 
to the first attribute, viz., 

Omnipresence* 

It is impossible for human language to express this 
attribute more finely and impressively than has already 
been expressed in Scripture. The passages are doubt- 
less very familiar to you all, but you remember appro- 
priate form ever revives the corresponding mental con- 
dition. I will, therefore, repeat one of these : " Whith- 
er shall I go from thy Spirit ? or whither shall I flee 
from thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou 
art there : if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art 
there : If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell 
in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy 
hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I 
say, Surely the darkness shall cover me ; even the night 
shall be light about me : yea, the darkness hideth not 
from thee ; but the night shineth as the day : the dark- 
ness and the light are both alike to thee." 

Now, I wish you to observe that this word omni- 
presence does not mean hugeness or immensity, occu- 
pying all space, in the same sense as our bodies occupy 
a portion of space, with a divided energy and a divided 
life, here a part and there a part. It is something far 
less 2toss and material than this. The divine omni* 



ESSENTIAL NATURE OF DEITY. 87 

presence is the complete, undivided life and energy of 
the Deity everywhere, at once. This is omnipresence 
as we usually conceive it. It is this which is expressed 
in the language above quoted. It is the highest that 
our human thought can fairly reach. But, in the light 
of the absolute, it is something more and higher than 
this. To Him there is no such thing as space. Space 
is a condition of human thought — oi finite thought. He 
is unconditioned by space. To Him there is no where 
or place, no here nor there nor yonder. Nevertheless, 
we cannot grasp this thought — it is not good for us even 
to try. As already stated, the highest that our human 
thought can reach — for, we are conditioned by space, 
not only in our existence, but in our thoughts — the 
highest that our human thought can reach, in our ut- 
most attempts to conceive the divine omnipresence, is 
immediate presence of the whole undivided, divine life 
and energy in every place. Observe, however, I say 
immediate presence, not a general superintendence 
which delegates efficient power, controlling the phe- 
nomena of Nature, to secondary agencies and forces ; 
but direct, divine agency in all the phenomena of the 
universe. 

It is the common idea, perhaps most common among 
scientific men, that the phenomena of Nature are con- 
trolled and determined by secondary agencies and 
forces, under the general superintendence only of 
Deity. If so, then, annihilation of Deity would not 
immediately affect the course of Nature ; it would still 
go on, at least for a while, under the power of these 
subordinate agents. But such a view is evidently in- 
consistent with any just conception of Deity. No: 



88 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

God is not far away, exercising only general oversight 
and delegating immediate action to secondary agents, 
but ever present, immediately in Nature. The forces 
of Nature, operating everywhere and at all times, are 
but the omnipresent and sleepless energy of the Divine 
will ; the laws of Nature are but the modes of operation 
of the Divine will in carrying out the Divine thought, 
perfect because He is perfect, invariable because He is 
unchangeable ; the objects and phenomena of Nature are 
but the visible manifestations, the incarnations of the 
Divine thought. This is the view of Scripture ; it is 
the religious view ; it is also the view of the highest 
and truest philosophy. 

But you will say, " This is not the scientific view, it 
is not the formula under which knowledge is organ- 
ized and increased." Very true ; if the immediate Di- 
vine presence everywhere were thoroughly realized, the 
religious spirit would overpower the scientific spirit : 
prostrate worship would take the place of scientific re- 
search. This is not good for us — the absolute must be 
veiled. Therefore Science interposes between the phe- 
nomena and the First Cause a chain of secondary 
causes which carry us upward only in our highest mo- 
ments to the immediate presence of Deity. It can- 
not be otherwise. This is our working formula ; it is 
the formula under which the materials of knowledge 
are gathered, and the temple of Science is built. But, 
when our daily work is done, when we have put aside 
our work-clothes, when we have retired into the home 
of our own spirits and our own meditations, then let us 
not forget the higher, the truer, the religious view. 

The next attribute of which I shall speak is 



ESSENTIAL NATURE OF DEITY. 89 

Eternity, or Omnipresence in Time. 

" Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever 
thou hadst formed the earth or the world ; even from 
everlasting to everlasting thou art God." This lan- 
guage expresses, as perfectly as language can express, 
the Omnipresence of Deity in Time. 

As I shall frequently use the word time, let me for 
the sake of clearness draw your attention to the some- 
what different senses in which it is used. It is used in 
popular language and in general literature and in Script- 
ure in one sense. It is used in philosophical works in 
another sense. In common language time is contrasted 
with eternity / time, a world of sense and matter, with 
eternity, a world of spirit ; time, a present world, with 
eternity, a future world. 

Examples of such use are abundant. The fleeting 
phenomena of this world, and especially the brief cycle 
of our human life in the midst of the infinite unknown 
abyss from which it comes, and into which it again 
hastens to be swallowed up, has always pressed 
heavily, painfully upon the minds of thoughtful men, 
whether poets, philosophers, or theologians. Shake- 
speare says, " We are such stuff as dreams are made of, 
and our little life is rounded with a sleep," as if this 
our human life were but an uncertain, flickering gleam 
of phosphorescent light, an ignis fatuus in the midst of 
surrounding darkness which we strive in vain to pene- 
trate. Again he says, " Here, on this bank and shoal 
of time ; " as if this our human life were a little spot of 
raoi e solid matter, visibly emerged from the unfathom- 
able and boundless ocean of eternity. 

In a similar sense the word time is frequently used 



90 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

in Scripture : " And I saw another mighty angel corns 
down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rain- 
bow was about his head, and his face was as it were the 
sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. And he set his right 
foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and 
lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that 
liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven and the 
things that therein are, and the earth, and the things 
that therein are, and the sea, and the things that are 
therein, that there should be time no longer." 

This is evidently the usual sense in which the word 
time is used. Time, a world of sense, as contrasted 
with eternity, a world of spirit — a material world 
whose time is divided into hours and days and years 
and cycles, whose hours are marked by our clocks, and 
whose days and years and cycles are marked by re- 
volving planets upon the great dial-plate of heaven ; a 
world whose centre and life and light and warmth is 
our sun, beyond the reach of whose beams are coldness 
and darkness and material death ; as contrasted with 
that other world of spirit whose centre is the Sun of 
Righteousness, within the reach of whose beams are life, 
and light, and joy; and beyond are outer darkness and 
spiritual death. 

This, as I have said, is the usual sense. It is a time, 
the time, a cycle of changes. Sometimes it is the cycle 
of our human life ; sometimes it is the cycle of the life 
of our human race ; sometimes it is some intermediate 
cycle. But in the philosophical sense time is simple 
duration ; it is simply continuity of existence without 
reference to beginning or end. In this sense, time is a 
necessary condition of human thought, and therefore 



ESSENTIAL NATURE OF DEITY. 91 

it is impossible to conceive of time commencing at all, 
or ending at all. In the previous sense, time is a cycle. 
One time ends, another time begins ; the cycle of this 
world closes, and the cycle of the next world com- 
mences. But, in the sense of which I am now speaking, 
even eternity is but infinite time. 

Observe, then, there are two conditions of finite 
thought — space and time ; we cannot conceive of ex- 
istence out of these two conditions. As we speak of 
Unite space and infinite space, so we speak of finite 
time and infinite time ox eternity. We speak of God 
as existing in all space, so also we speak of Him as ex- 
isting in all time ; we speak of Him as omnipresent in 
space, so also as omnipresent in time. We speak of Him 
as unconditioned by space, so also we must believe that 
He is unconditioned by time. 

Let me draw your attention to the extremely limit- 
ing nature of this condition which we call time. Ob- 
serve how much more limiting it is in its character 
than space. Space is infinitely extended in all direc- 
tions ; time, like a mathematical line, is infinitely ex- 
tended only in one direction. Again, we have power 
over space, we change our place and move about in 
space; in these latter times we even boast of anni- 
hilating space by our railroads and telegraphs. But 
over time we are absolutely powerless / we cannot move 
backward or forward in this single narrow line. Our 
whole life and activity are confined to this one spot 
in time — this mathematical point, which we call the 
present. Again, we come in contact with much space 
directly through our senses, especially through the 
sense of sight. We stand on the mountain-tops, and, 



92 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

with a sweep of the eyes, come in sensible contact 
with hundreds of miles. We sweep our eyes across 
the starry heavens and come in actual, sensible con- 
tact with millions, even thousands of millions of miles ; 
the telescope gives still more extensive contact with 
space : so that we might almost say we are in sensible 
contact with infinite space. But time, how different ! 
We come in sensible contact only with the now. The 
past we realize only through memory, not sense ; the 
future we realize only through the imagination, not 
sense. Again, once more. Heal existence for us is in 
all space ; but in time is only now. That which is past 
was, but is no longer real existence ; that which is to 
come is not yet a real existence. 

Time, therefore, is far more limiting than space. It 
has been often and very properly compared to a current, 
to a stream on the surface of which we helplessly float. 
We can neither go backward nor forward, neither this 
side nor that, but simply drift helplessly, our whole life 
and activity being confined to the little skiff in which 
we float. Now, can we believe that He, the Infinite 
One, also thus drifts upon the stream of time helpless ; 
the only difference between Him and us being the 
length of the stream ? Impossible ! No ; He alone is 
unconditioned by time. To Him in his essential nature 
there is no such thing as time — as now or then — as 
past or present or future. But to . us this is incon- 
ceivable. Existence unconditioned by time is even 
more inconceivable to us than existence unconditioned 
by space. Our minds and thoughts are more limited, 
more imprisoned, more u cribbed, cabined, and con- 
fined," by this condition than any other. Such exist- 



ESSENTIAL NATURE OF DEITY. 93 

ence is, therefore, the most inconceivable of all. The 
attempt to think it brings us most directly face to face 
with the unconditioned, and produces the most utter 
mental paralj-sis. It is inconceivable, but not therefore 
unbelievable. It lies in the domain of faith, not in the 
domain of thought. Thought carries us inevitably to 
its very borders, but is powerless to enter. 

The highest we can clearly conceive, then, is exist- 
ence throughout infinite time past and future. Higher 
even than this, however, is expressed in the language 
of Scripture quoted. It is not, Thou hast been from 
everlasting and wilt be to everlasting ; but " From ever- 
lasting to everlasting thou art." It is the universal 
present, or omnipresence in time. But in the light of 
the absolute there is a view higher even than this, viz., 
that He is in his essential nature unconditioned by 
time. But, since this is inconceivable to us, He has 
revealed himself to us in time. 

The next attribute, and the last of which we shall 
speak this evening, is 

Uhchangeahleness. 

In the language of Scripture, He is " without vari- 
ableness or shadow of turning," " the same yesterday, 
to-day, and forever." I have little to say in illustration 
of this attribute, for the reason that it is involved in 
what I have already said. Change, changeableness : 
this is the language of time — change can only occur in 
time — but He is unconditioned by time, and therefore 
cannot change. This is the absolute point of view, but 
for that very reason is incapable of illustration. In 



04 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

Nature He reveals himself to us in time and space. Let 
us, then, come down one step lower in order to illustrate 
this attribute. As omnipresence in space necessitates 
the same laws and forces in every portion of space, i. e., 
invariability of law throughout all space, so also omni- 
presence in time involves the idea of the same laws, 
the same forces, and the same plan throughout all 
time, unchanging and unchangeable, the invariability 
of law throughout all time. Now, these two essential 
attributes which I have thus far spoken of, for there 
are but two, the last being so closely connected with 
the previous one — these two, viz., omnipresence and 
eternal unchangeableness, are magnificently revealed in 
nature, especially in the two departments, Astronomy 
and Geology. Let me show this : 

We have said there are two fundamental conditions 
of material existence and of human thought, viz., space 
and time. We cannot even conceive of existence out 
of these two conditions. Now, the domain of Astronomy 
is space, the domain of Geology is time. Other sciences 
indeed deal with space, limited space ; but it is the pre- 
rogative of Astronomy alone to deal with infinite space, 
so also other sciences may deal with time, limited, finite 
time ; but it is the prerogative of Geology alone to deal 
with infinite time. As Astronomy is limited in time to 
the present epoch but unlimited in space, so also Geology 
is limited in space to the surface of our earth, but un- 
limited in time. 

So much for their domains. Now, the object of all 
science is to establish the universality of law ; harmony 
in the midst of apparent confusion, unity in the midst 
of infinite diversity ; unity of force in the midst of 



ESSENTIAL NATURE OF DEITY. 95 

diversity of phenomena, physical science; unity of 
thought and plan in the midst of diversity of form and 
expression, natural science ; in a word, the unity of 
Deity in the midst of the infinite multiplicity of Nature. 
A vague perception of this unity has always existed in 
the highest intellects, but it is the prerogative of science 
alone to demonstrate it. This I have said is the object 
of all science. But it is the prerogative of Astron- 
omy alone to demonstrate this absolute unity of Deity 
throughout all space, and of Geology alone to demon- 
strate the same throughout all time. As Astronomy 
shows that the same force and the same law which con- 
trol the falling of a stone guide the stars in their fiery 
course ; even so Geology shows that the same law 
which governs the development of the embryo from 
the germ to maturity has governed the evolution of 
the earth and the organic kingdom from primal chaos 
until now; the same mind which now controls the one, 
has presided through infinite ages over the other — no 
new lav/, no change of plan, the outline of the grand 
whole is seen in the first strokes of the Divine Artist's 
pencil, and the ceaseless activity of Deity has been 
exercised only in the eternal unfolding of the original 
conception. Thus, as Astronomy binds the whole uni- 
verse of space about the throne of God by the universal 
law of gravitation, so Geology binds the whole universe 
of time about the same fixed throne by the no less 
universal law of evolution. If Astronomy demonstrates 
the presence of the same divine energy throughout all 
space, Geology demonstrates the presence of the same 
unchanging divine energy throughout all time. If 
Astronomy illustrates, yea, more, demonstrates that 



96 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

glorious attribute of Deity, his omnipresence in space, 
Geology demonstrates that equally essential and glorious 
attribute, his eternal unchangeableness, his omnipres- 
ence in time. 



LECTURE VI. 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 



My Christian Friends : I wish this evening to 
take up very briefly the remaining essential attributes, 
and then pass on to the moral attributes of Deity. I 
say very briefly, because, after what I have already 
said of the absolute, unconditioned being of Deity and 
of those attributes most closely connected with this, 
viz., omnipresence in space, and omnipresence in time, 
nearly all I could say of the remaining ones must be 
anticipated in your thoughts. 

Omniscie?ice. 

The highest point which we can clearly reach in 
our human conception of this attribute is that of abso- 
lutely perfect knowledge of all things in all places and 
in all times, past, present, and to come ; in other words, 
a perfect knowledge of all things and all events in the 
universe of space and in the universe of time. But in 
the light of the absolute it means much more than this ; 
for in this definition we have used the language of 
Bpace and time, and He is unconditioned by either time 
or space. 

You will remember that in my last lecture I said 
5 



98 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

that what we call the forces of Nature are nothing else 
than the omnipresent and ceaseless activity of the Divine 
will ; that what we call the laws of Nature are but the 
modes of operation of the Divine will in carrying out 
the Divine thought ; perfect because He is perfect, in- 
variable because He is unchangeable ; and that what we 
call the objects and events of Nature are but the re- 
vealed or realized thoughts of Deity ; in a word, that 
the whole universe of space and of time is but the 
thought of ^Deity realized through his will. You will 
remember, also, that in a previous lecture I stated that 
there have been philosophers who, going into their 
closets, shutting their eyes and ears, and turning their 
thoughts inward upon themselves in deep meditation, 
have arrived at the conviction that this external world 
is but a phantasm of interior states of the mind pro- 
jected outward by a law of the mind itself. Now, 
what has been vainly imagined by these philosophers 
as true of man, is, it seems to me, really true of Deity. 
The whole universe of time and space, the whole exter- 
nal world, is so much of the Divine thought as has been 
realized by the Divine will. 

It follows, then, that what we call the external 
world is not external to Him as it is to us ; not exter- 
nal in the sense of being independent of his thought 
and will, and therefore something to be acquired by 
study or by intellectual processes of some kind. In 
other words, his knowledge is not exactly like ours, 
only more perfect ; it differs not only in degree but in 
kind. The whole sum of possible human knowledge is 
so much of the Divine thought as is revealed in Nature 
and in Scripture. The sum of actual human knowledge 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 99 

is so much of revealed truth as has been acquired by 
intellectual processes. But his knowledge is some- 
thing quite different from this ; our knowledge and our 
thoughts are of things ; his thoughts become things ; 
our knowledge is acquired / his knowledge is original 
and essential; our knowledge is therefore partial y 
his knowledge, by its very nature, must be absolutely 
perfect. All our human knowledge and our thoughts are 
but crumbs which fall from the full table of Omniscience. 

Such knowledge is, indeed, too wonderful for us. 
It is high, we cannot attain unto, we cannot even con- 
ceive of it. It enters into our inmost heart and mind, 
into our most secret thoughts and feelings, even before 
they emerge upon the surface of consciousness. Such 
knowledge is, indeed, too wonderful for us ; but is it also 
dreadful to us ? or is it not rather joyful to us ? We 
may desire to hide our inmost thoughts and most se- 
cret feelings from our fellow-men ; some of them even 
from those we love most dearly ; but the true man, the 
man who really and earnestly desires his own moral 
improvement, cannot desire to hide them from the all- 
searching eye of God ; for how then can his own heart 
be revealed to himself? He who would conceal any 
thing from His eye, would also conceal it from his own 
eye. If he would deceive Him, he would also deceive 
himself. If he is untrue to Him, it is because he is un- 
true also to himself. 

The next attribute which we take up is 

Omnipotence. 

In the glowing language of the Old Testament, it 
is said : " He looketh on the earth and it trembleth ; 



100 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

he toucheth the hills and they smoke." 1 Again : " It 
is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the 
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers ; that stretcheth 
out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out 
as a tent to dwell in." "Behold the natioDS are as a 
drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of 
the balance : behold he taketh up the isles as a very 
little thing." 2 In the more direct language of the New 
Testament addressed to the intellect and the heart 
rather than the imagination, it is said : " To man this 
is impossible ; but to God all things are possible." 

Now, the highest view which the human intellect 
can take of the Divine Omnipotence is expressed in 
the word almighty, i. e., power which is infinite and 
irresistible, and which, therefore, it is mere madness 
and folly to oppose. But from the absolute point of 
view it is much more than this : it is a power which 
reaches its results without effort — a power to which 
there is not, and cannot be, any opposition. In the 
whole realm of Nature there is not even seeming oppo- 
sition, except in the will of man ; but even in the will 
of man opposition is only a moral attitude, and not an 
effective resistance. In the case of 'finite forces concur- 
ring with or opposing one another, the effective result 
is the sum or difference of the two forces ; but man's 
force, concurring or opposing, cannot increase or dimin- 
ish the effect of the Divine will, for He is the sole 
source of all power. All life, all work, all energy, all 
human activity, which is opposed to the Divine will as 
expressed in the Divine law, is self-destructive — is 
simply wasted and ends in mere nothingness. Only 

1 Psalm civ. 2 Isaiah xl. 






ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 101 

that finite force is effective which is in accordance with 
Divine law, and then only because Divine law operates 
in that direction. Is it not so in the realm of external 
Nature ? Human activity, which operates contrary to 
the Divine laws in Nature, we all know necessarily 
wastes itself and accomplishes simply nothing; only 
that which operates in accordance with law effects any 
useful result. In fact, in all our activities, we, by our 
will, only determine the direction of operation of Divine 
laws and Divine forces. Now, the same is true, though 
perhaps less obviously, in the moral world and of 
moral laws. We may seem to resist the Divine will, 
but in the end it will always be seen that all activity 
and every life which is contrary to the Divine moral 
law must necessarily be simply wasted and self- 
destructive. Only that life and that activity can be 
effective which is in accordance with Divine law, and 
then only because the Divine will acts through us and 
by us to accomplish the result. 

We pass next to the subject of the divine 

Incomprehensibleness. 

" Canst thou by searching find out God ? Canst 
thou find out the Almighty unto perfection ? It is as 
high as heaven, what canst thou do ? deeper than hell, 
what canst thou know?" 1 Such is the language in 
which Scripture describes this attribute. 

Although an essential characteristic of Deity, and 
usually classed among the essential attributes, this can 
hardly be called an attribute in the proper sense of the 
term. It is rather the relation of all his attributes to 

1 Job xi. 



102 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

our finite minds ; in other words, the relation of the 
infinite to the finite. 

But some will say : " If He is incomprehensible, how 
can we worship Him rationally? Blind worship is 
possible toward that which we cannot understand, but 
rational worship is impossible." On the contrary, it is 
only of such a one that rational worship is possible. 
In order to worship rationally, we must indeed be able 
to apprehend^ but we must not be able to comprehend* 
We must be able to take hold of, but we must not be 
able to inclose and determine the limits of the object 
of our worship. In order to worship Him rationally, 
we must be able to lay hold of and cling to Him, even 
if it be but the lowermost skirts of his outer garment, 
but we must not be able to embrace, except only his feet. 

We love that which is like ourselves and which we 
can also entirely comprehend ; that which is on our own 
level, or even below us. It is thus we love our friends 
and our children. Yie love and reverence that which, 
though like ourselves, is above us, but not beyond our 
comprehension. It is thus we love and reverence the 
wise, the great, and the good, among our fellow-men. 
But we love, reverence, and worship), only that which 
is still like ourselves, but which is not only above us, 
but in its highest parts incomprehensible to us. 

Now, precisely such a one is revealed to us as the 
object of worship both in Nature and in Scripture — 
like ourselves, yet infinitely above us. We have already 
compared a work of Deity with a work of man, and 
shown their similarity, and yet the infinite superiority 
of the former. It is like up to a certain point, and then 
it passes beyond, from the finite to the infinite. So the 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 103 

nature of Deity is spirit as man is spirit, and his attri- 
butes all have their correspondence in man, with the 
difference that the one is finite and conditioned, and 
the other infinite and unconditioned. Thus Deity, as 
revealed in Nature, in Scripture, and especially as re- 
vealed in Christ, stands, as it were, on the same level 
with us, but reaches infinitely above us. And, as we 
turn upward our faces and gaze higher and higher, 
straining our eyes to catch a still higher view, He 
passes beyond our sight into the infinite. But, even 
when the straining vision fails, the heart still yearns 
upward in love and reverence and worship. He must 
be like ourselves, or how shall we apprehend Him, 
take hold of Him, cling to Him, and love Him ? He 
must be incomprehensible to us, or how shall we ra- 
tionally worship Him ? From the very nature of Deity, 
therefore, there must be, in every revelation, a compre- 
hensible and an incomprehensible — in every revelation 
there must be a region of mystery. There are mys- 
teries in Nature, there are mysteries in Scripture. 
There must be mysteries real or apparent in all reli- 
gions, true or false, for worship is impossible without 
mystery. But the difference between the false and the 
true revelations is this : the mysteries in the one case 
are founded on our ignorance, in the other case on the 
limitation of our faculties. Increasing knowledge, 
therefore, dissipates the one, while it only increases the 
incomprehensibleness of the other. In every true reve- 
lation of Deity, in proportion as we increase the area 
of the comprehensible, in the same proportion do we 
bring our minds into more extensive and closer contact 
with the outlying region of incomprehensible mystery ; 



104 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

in proportion as the circle of light — the circle of the 
known — increases, in the same proportion increases 
also the circumference of darkness — the unknown and 
unknowable. This uplifting of the whole being toward 
the Infinite, the up-looking of the eye, the up-looking 
of the mind, and the up-yearning of the heart — this is 
worship. It is the noblest posture of the human body — 
it is the noblest condition of the human mind. This 
posture cannot be rationally assumed except to one 
who is like us, and yet incomprehensible to us. 

Moral Attributes of Deity. 

"We pass now to what are called the moral attributes 
of Deity — viz., Wisdom, Truth, Justice, Love, Holiness. 
These are the second step from the absolute — where 
He dwells apart in light unapproachable — the second 
step in the downward flow of revelation toward man. 
In these the Deity reveals himself in more human form, 
and of these, therefore, we will speak in a more human 
way. The first of these of which I shall speak is 

Wisdom. 

I speak of this first, because it forms the natural 
transition between the essential and the moral attri- 
butes. For, as human wisdom is human knowledge or 
human science practically applied to attain human ends, 
so the Divine wisdom is Divine omniscience operating 
to carry out Divine ends. 

Now, as already indicated by what I have just said, 
there is a great difference between science and wisdom. 
Science seeks ti^uth for its own sake ; wisdom seeks 
truth in order to use. Science is abstract ; wisdom is 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 105 

tne concrete embodiment of science. Science exercises 
the intellect only; wisdom exercises in addition always 
the will, and in its higher manifestations also the heart, 
in other words the whole life and activity of man. The 
opposite of the one is ignorance : the opposite of the 
other \& folly. 

Wisdom, therefore, being the right application of 
knowledge in carrying out an end, is evidently a prod- 
uct of two factors, knowledge and power. Now, it is 
a curious fact that in the field of human wisdom, these 
two factors seem to have an inverse relation to each 
other. In comparing different departments with each 
other, we find that, in proportion as human knowledge 
is more perfect, human power to modify phenomena 
and control the course of events is less ; on the other 
hand, in proportion as our power over natural phe- 
nomena becomes greater, our knowledge becomes less. 
Thus human wisdom is limited on both sides ; on one 
side by want of knowledge, on the other by want of 
power. Let me illustrate my meaning : 

As we pass in the scale of sciences from the simpler 
to the more complex, our knowledge of phenomena 
decreases, but our power to modify phenomena in- 
creases. Thus, in astronomy, we study the heavenly 
bodies in their courses until we may know the law of 
every motion so perfectly that we can predict with 
unerring precision the position of every star during 
next year or even during the next century. But we 
cannot modify in the slightest degree the phenomena, 
or change in the least the course of events. We can- 
not touch one wheel of this complex mechanism. This 
is not the field of human wisdom. Wisdom there is, 



106 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

indeed, but it is divine, not human. In this department 
we are observers only, not experimenters. We can 
simply gaze, admire, and worship. 

But, as soon as we pass beyond astronomy into the 
more complex departments of physics and chemistry, 
as soon as we pass from the simpler phenomena of 
gravitation to the more complex phenomena of physi- 
cal and chemical forces, our power over phenomena 
commences, but our knowledge of phenomena decreases. 
We experiment — we modify phenomena, and determine 
the course of events, but we cannot now so perfectly 
foresee the course of events. Nevertheless, it is prob- 
ably in these departments that knowledge and power 
are most evenly balanced, and here, therefore, the most 
perfect application of human science, the most perfect 
examples of human wisdom, are to be found. Only, in 
these simpler departments of human knowledge, we 
do not usually call the practical application wisdom, 
but only skill. 

Again, if we rise one step higher into the depart- 
ment of Organic Science, and the still more complex 
phoiomena of life, our power to modify phenomena 
and determine events is still greater; but alas! our 
ability to foresee and direct the course of events is far 
less than before. Our power is so great and our 
knowledge so small that the exercise of power becomes 
dangerous. We can scarcely touch without modifying 
greatly, and perhaps fatally. Here, then, evidently, is 
wanted a far higher order of skill — a skill which now 
begins to lose the name of skill, and to assume that of 
wisdom. But here, also, commences the domain of 
pretended wisdom — charlatanry. 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 107 

If we pass now to a still higher and more complex 
group of phenomena, the phenomena of social life, the 
phenomena of the social organism, of the body politic, 
our power to modify phenomena becomes still more 
fearful, while our knowledge of these laws, and there- 
fore our ability to foresee the result of any modification, 
is still less than before. In our blundering attempts 
to cure the diseases of the body politic, in our foolishly 
confident attempts to better the condition of the social 
organism, how often do we introduce disturbing ele- 
ments which result in the most disastrous and unfore- 
seen consequences ! Here, then, is the favorite field of 
charlatanry and pretense; but it is also the noblest 
field of human wisdom. But there is a still higher 
department of knowledge, viz., the science of our 
higher moral and spiritual life ; and a still higher wis- 
dom, viz., the application of this knowledge in the con- 
duct of our higher life. This is, indeed, the highest 
wisdom, and here, alas ! we find the most deplorable 
charlatanry, pretense, cant. 

To illustrate still further the difference between 
science and wisdom : Suppose a spectator far removed 
above the earth, and gazing with deep intellectual in- 
terest upon the complex phenomena of human society, 
as the astronomer gazes upon the phenomena of the 
heavenly bodies, watching calmly social movements 
and revolutions, reducing them to laws, and determin- 
ing their forces: this is science. But, suppose the 
same spectator, moved with deep sympathy with the 
actors, should descend from his elevated position upon 
the scene of action; no longer now a spectator only, 
but also a noble actor, no longer an observer of phe- 



108 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

nomena only, but also a producer of phenomena, influ- 
enced by others and influencing others for good : this 
is now no longer the field of science only, but of the 
highest wisdom ; not only is the intellect now involved, 
but also the will and the heart — the whole life. 

Wisdom, then, in its widest sense, is the right appli- 
cation of knowledge to attain ends; but, in its lower 
types, we call it skill ; only in its higher types we call 
it wisdom. In this higher and more restricted sense 
we would define wisdom as the use of knowledge in the 
right conduct of life. It is life according to reason, 
in other words, life according to Divine lata. Is it 
not obviously so in the realm of external Nature? 
Activity according to Divine law in Nature is the only 
wisdom ; it only accomplishes its results. Activity in 
the realm of Nature which is opposed to the laws of 
Nature is sheer folly, for it is either self-destructive or 
else a mere waste of energy. So is it precisely in the 
moral and spiritual world. Activity according to 
Divine law is the only true wisdom ; activity in opposi- 
tion to Divine law, in the deepest philosophic sense, is 
sheer folly ; it must, of necessity, be self-destructive or 
wasted. It is in this sense, the deepest and truest 
sense, that the words wisdom and folly are always 
used in Scripture. 

We have seen, then, how human wisdom is limited 
on both sides, limited on the one side by want of power, 
limited on the other by the want of knowledge. But, 
the Divine wisdom is not thus limited — it is the product 
of the Divine omniscience and the Divine omnipotence, 
and is therefore perfect in degree and infinite in extent. 
In fact, in the deepest sense, there is no other wisdom 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 109 

but the Divine wisdom. As our minds are but sparks 
of the Infinite intelligence, as our sciences are but the 
crumbs of Divine omniscience : so our wisdom is but a 
fragment of the Divine wisdom. Our wisdom is wis- 
dom only in so far as it is in accordance with, or an 
image of, the Divine wisdom. 

I have said that wisdom is the right use of knowl- 
edge in the attainment of right ends. Now, the ques- 
tion occurs, " What is the end of the Divine wisdom ? " 
Human wisdom always has many ends; some lower 
and more immediate, and others higher and more re- 
mote. For instance : every one of us, in our daily life, 
has one immediate end in view, viz., our daily duties 
and our daily bread. Beyond this, more remote and 
higher, there is always another end, viz., the gradual 
bettering of our worldly condition. Beyond this, again, 
if we be true men, there is still a higher end — not 
bounded by the cycle of our own individual life, but 
terminating in the life of our race — the gradual devel- 
opment of humanity. Beyond this, again, if we be 
really true men, there is another highest end which ter- 
minates, not on this earthly life, but has reference to the 
eternal and spiritual life of ourselves and our fellow-men. 

So is it also with the Divine wisdom. It has its 
nearer and more immediate ends, and its higher and 
more remote ends. For instance : in the mechanism of 
the heavens the immediate end in view is use- — stability 
and regularity in marking days, and years, and cycles. 
Beyond this there is another and higher end, viz., beau- 
tiful orderly arrangement, for order's sake. Beyond 
this there is a still higher detectible end : for our solar 
system is but one part of a complex cosmos — its move* 



110 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

ments are, therefore, subordinate to the gradual devel- 
opment or cyclical movement of the whole. So also 
in the mechanism of the animal body there are many 
ends. The immediate end of its structural contrivance 
is use in the battle or struggle of life. Beyond this 
there is a higher design, viz., conformity to a preor- 
dained plan of structure. Beyond this is a still higher 
end, for every organism is but one link of a connected 
chain — one step in the march of evolution of the or- 
ganic kingdom ; an evolution which finds its term and 
crown in the human body as the habitation of an im- 
mortal spirit. In the dealings of Providence with the 
Church, I believe the same law may be traced. The 
immediate object of the splendid symbolism of the Jew- 
ish ritual was evidently to impress the imagination of 
a sensuous people for good. Another higher and more 
remote object, however, was evidently a symbolizing 
of Christ and the Christian Church ; and a still more 
remote end was the symbolizing of the glories of the 
future world. 

Now, among the various ends of Divine activity — 
of Divine wisdom, rising higher and higher until they 
pass out of view — which is the last and highest ? I do 
not hesitate to answer: The Divine glory itself. It is 
the answer of Scripture ; it is the answer of Nature ; 
it is the answer of Philosophy. But some will ask, " Is 
the God of Christian worship selfish, then ? Does his 
whole activity terminate on self ? " I wish, therefore, 
to show that the Divine wisdom cannot worthily ter- 
minate on any other as its highest end, but that, never- 
theless, He is not selfish in the sense in which we use 
that word in reference to man. 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. Ill 

Suppose, then, a man of splendid endowments of 
body, mind, and soul ; suppose such a man should ex- 
pend all his energy and all his great powers on some 
trivial object as the highest end of his life ; such, for 
example, as the training of monkeys or dogs. Do we 
not at once feel that such a nature is degraded ? Sup- 
pose, next, a man similarly endowed should devote his 
whole energy and life to the cultivation of his lower 
self, to the training of his body to the highest degree 
of strength, activity, and manly beauty: we recognize 
at once that this is a higher end of activity, and this a 
nobler life than the other. It is impossible for us to 
withhold our admiration of the result : for the perfect 
human body is the glorious symbol of the perfect hu- 
man spirit. This is the end of life from the animal 
point of view. Suppose, next, the same energies direct- 
ed, in addition, to a higher object : the cultivation of 
the intellectual and moral nature — the training of all 
our powers — bodily and spiritual, our powers of intel- 
lect, will, and heart — to the highest degree and in per- 
fect harmony with each other, so that our whole nature 
shall act freely, spontaneously, joyfully together, not 
for use, indeed, but for glorious display. We recog- 
nize now a still nobler life. This is the end of life from 
the aesthetic point. It is, indeed, a glorious life, but not 
yet the highest. Suppose the same life and energy 
terminating not even upon our nobler self, but upon a 
still higher object, humanity. This is philanthropy — 
the end of life from the moral point of view. There is 
still a higher life and the highest : it is that which 
terminates only on the highest, which devotes itself 
first of all to the service of God. This is the end of 
life from the religious point of view. 



112 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

Observe, then, first, that the nobleness of a life is 
determined not by whether it terminates inward or out- 
ward, but solely by the nobleness of the object upon 
which it terminates. The termination of our activity 
on self is not the noblest activity, only because there 
are far nobler objects on which to terminate. 

Observe, again i that higher ends usually include all 
lower ends, and therefore, in attaining the highest, we 
attain, as far as it is possible, all the lower worthy ends 
of life. Let me illustrate : We have said that culture 
of the whole nature — body, mind, and heart — culture for 
culture's sake, is really a noble end of life. It should be, 
if not the predominant, at least a prominent end of 
activity in childhood and youth. But, after we arrive 
at the period of manhood, unless our activity turn out- 
ward upon something higher than ourselves, we never 
attain even the highest culture. We cannot attain the 
highest culture by seeking culture only, but rather by 
striving to impress that culture upon our fellow-men. 
The higher end includes the lower ; we attain the lower 
most perfectly through the higher. Solomon, because 
he prayed not for riches, nor power, nor knowledge 
only, but wisdom to judge the people^ therefore re- 
ceived wisdom, but there were added also knowledge, 
and power, and riches. So is it with us if our activity 
terminate primarily upon the highest, viz., God ; we 
thereby in the most perfect manner bless our fellow- 
men, and attain for ourselves the most perfect culture 
which belongs to man. 

You will at once see, then, that the highest end 
of Divine wisdom and Divine activity can be nothing 
short of his own glory. Any thing beneath this, as 



ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY. 113 

his highest end, must necessarily degrade Him. Not 
only so, but this highest end includes every other con- 
ceivable inferior end. For as man best blesses his fel- 
low-man by making the Divine Being the highest end 
of his activity, even so the Deity confers every con- 
ceivable blessing upon man by simply glorifying him- 
self by the free exhibition of his glorious perfections, 
in a word, by self-rev elation y and, furthermore, we can- 
not even conceive how otherwise He could bless man. 
Thus, as Dante gazing upward into the eyes of Beatrice, 
the symbol of Divine beauty, and only while he gazed 
steadily, was drawn upward from heaven to heaven, 
even so, we, as we gaze upward upon Him the Infinite, 
as revealed in Nature, in Scripture, and still better, be- 
cause nearer to us, as revealed in Christ, are drawn 
upward, higher and ever higher. 



LECTURE VII. 



TRUTH. 



My Christian Friends : You will remember that, 
in my last lecture, I had commenced to speak of the 
moral attributes of Deity, and had taken up one of 
them, viz., Wisdom. The subject of my lecture this 
evening is Truth. 

" c What is truth ? ' asked jesting Pilate, and stayed 
not for an answer." But the answer which was not 
given to jesting Pilate, was given by the Divine Mas- 
ter, but a few hours previous, to his loving and trusting 
disciples. You will remember that, in his last prayer 
for his disciples and the Church, he said : " Sanctify 
them by thy truth ; thy word is truth." Now, what is 
meant here by " thy icord? " I suppose most persons 
would answer unhesitatingly " The Scriptures." That 
it refers primarily to this I have no doubt ; but I have 
long been convinced that it has a deeper, broader, and 
more philosophical meaning than this. The Divine 
word comprehends all revelation or manifestation of 
Deity ; revelation in Nature, revelation in Scripture, 
revelation in Christ. In this more comprehensive sense 
not only is the word of God truth, but there is, for man, 
no other possible truth. Let us bear in mind, also, that 



TRUTH. 115 

we have it from the lips of the Divine Master, that all 
truth is sanctifying. All that I shall say this evening 
will be in illustration of this profound saying, " Thy 
word is truth." 

Abstract truth is objective reality. But objective 
reality is nothing to us unless it is reproduced in our 
minds and in our wills. This only is truth for us. 
Truth, then, for us, is of several kinds. First. Truth 
is the accordance of our thoughts with objective reality. 
This is truth in the realm of thought, philosophic truth, 
scientific truth ; the opposite of this is error. Again : 
truth is the accordance of our words and conduct with 
our thoughts — the accordance of the exterior manifesta- 
tion with the interior condition — the revelation of our 
interior states. This is truth in the realm of will y 
truth as a moral quality ; truthfulness in word, honesty 
in conduct, sincerity in character. The opposite of this 
is falseness, dishonesty, insincerity, dissimulation, affec- 
tation, and, in a lesser degree, all the vain pomps and 
pretentious shows of this world, by which we so often 
impose on ourselves and on others. Again, in the third 
place, truth is the accordance of conduct now with 
words spoken in time past. This form differs from 
the last only in introducing the element of time. With 
increase of knowledge and changed conditions there 
may come also a change in our interior states and 
thoughts, and therefore a word spoken which was not 
untruthful in the second sense, i. e., was accordant 
with our thought, may be discordant with our present 
thought, and therefore with conduct based upon our 
present thought. This form of truth is called faithful- 
ness, trustworthiness, reliability, promise-keeping, and 



116 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

its opposite, unfaithfulness, unreliableness, etc. The 
want of this form of truth may not indicate so great 
moral obliquity as the second form, but it certainly in- 
dicates fickleness of purpose, weakness of character, 
and a feeble sense of moral obligation. 

Thus defined, truth forms the very basis of human 
character, and the best gauge of human excellence : 
truth in the realm of thought, of intellectual excel- 
lence — truth in the will, of moral excellence or virtue. 

We come now to speak of truth as a Divine attri- 
bute. Observe, then, that abstract truth is objective 
reality; but objective reality is nothing but the real- 
ized thought of Deity. 1 Evidently, therefore, the Di- 
vine thought and objective reality, standing as they do 
in the relation of cause and effect, must of necessity 
be in perfect accordance. Therefore, the first form of 
concrete truth — truth in the realm of thought — must 
be an attribute of Deity. It follows from a just con- 
ception itself of Deity. 

Again, external Nature is not only the realized 
thought, but it is also the icord of God — the sensible 
manifestation or expression of the Divine thought — 
literally, a revealed word. Thus, in Nature, we have 
not only accordance but a complete identification of the 
Divine thought and the Divine word with objective re- 
ality, and thus the second form of truth as a Divine at- 
tribute follows as a necessary consequence of a just 
conception of the Divine nature. 

Let me illustrate further the truthfulness of this 
word of God. Nature, as I have said, is literally a re- 
vealed word — a word written in picture -characterSj 

1 See previous lecture, p. 98. 



TRUTH. 117 

symbolical characters, hieroglyphics having a necessary 
and eternal significance, which it is the duty of science 
to interpret. The whole object of science is to con- \^ 
struct the theology of this Divine revelation. This Di- \ 
vine word never deceives us, makes no mistakes, is / 
never inconsistent with itself. We have here invaria- 
ble laws everywhere, the same to all persons and in 
all places. We may, indeed, be deceived, but, if so, 
we are sure that we have deceived ourselves. There 
may seem to be mistakes and inconsistencies, but we 
at once attribute it to our false interpretation — our 
false exegesis. We never for a moment think of ac- 
cusing Nature of falsehood, but only ourselves of false 
reading ; and we therefore correct our reading so as to 
bring it into accordance with the revelation. We may 
be mistaken again and again : we correct our reading 
again and again, in accordance with our increased 
knowledge of the revelation. Such changes of inter- 
pretation — such changes of our reading of Nature 
— mark the whole history of science. Science is not 
ashamed to acknowledge her mistakes nor to change 
her readings. Now, if we accept Scripture as a revela- 
tion at all, let us accept it in the same frank spirit as 
we accept Nature. 

The third kind of truth, you will remember, is ac- 
cordance of conduct now with words spoken previously. 
Now, this also is involved in the very nature of Deity. 
For, observe, our unfaithfulness comes from ignorance, 
but He is omniscient ; or else from fickleness, but He is 
unchangeable. Let me illustrate this also from Nature : S 
I have spoken of invariable law throughout all space 
as the expression of Divine truthfulness. But there 



118 RELIGION AND SCIENCE, 

is also invariable law throughout infinite time ; this is 
the expression of the Divine faithfulness. In the grad- 
ual evolution of the cosmos, of the beautiful order of 
the universe throughout infinite time, there is not a 
promise but is redeemed, not a prophecy but is ful- 
filled. If it seems not so to us, we know that it is be- 
cause we are mistaken as to the nature of the promise 
or the prophecy. Y^e never think of accusing Nature, 
,but only ourselves, of mistakes. "We may find our- 
selves mistaken once, twice, many times : we only 
alter our readings, and thus gradually bring our 
thoughts more and more in accordance with the re- 
vealed Divine thought. Is not this rational ? Is any 
other course than this rational ? 

Now, I again repeat, if we accept the Scriptures at 
all as a Divine revelation, let us accept them in the 
same frank spirit of undoubting trust. There may 
sometimes seem to us to be a mistake ; there may be 
sometimes apparent inconsistencies. Let us conclude 
that it is because our interpretation is false — we must 
change our reading. We find another inconsistency 
with other Scriptures or other revelations — we must 
again change our reading, in the one case or in the 
other, according as our minds become more enlight- 
ened by the study of all revelations, and understand 
better the Divine thoughts. 

Truth, then, is : first, the Divine thoughts objective- 
ly realized ; second, the accordance of our thoughts 
with objective reality, i. e., with the Divine thought ; 
third, a secondary revelation of our thoughts in words 
and acts. I wish now to apply these principles practi- 
cally to human life, and show the duty and the spirit 



TRUTH. 119 

of truth-seeking, taking my illustrations principally, 
of course, from my own favorite field, Nature. 

I assume that man is endowed with a spiritual na- 
ture, which is an image of the Divine nature. In other 
words, man is made in the image of God. If we do 
not admit this proposition, we cannot stop short of 
blank materialism, and our human life has then no 
longer any significance different from that of other ani- 
mals. If we do not admit this proposition, we destroy 
at one blow all our noble aspirations of every kind, re- 
ligious, moral, and intellectual, and also the very con- 
ditions under which these lectures were conceived. I 
am compelled to assume the truth of this proposition, 
and shall assume it explicitly or implicitly in every one 
of these lectures. Now, if man is indeed made in the 
image of God, the whole significance of human life 
consists in restoring or perfecting the Divine image in 
human nature. Moreover, if we believe in a personal 
Deity, who is also our spiritual Father, we must believe 
that God and man cooperate in this great work of res- 
toration. God and man must work together to restore 
the Divine image in the human reason as truth, in the 
human will as holiness, in the human heart as love. In 
all this work, God's part is the free revelation of himself, 
the display of his glorious perfections in Nature and in 
Scripture ; man's part is, by the study of these revela- 
tions, and the intense yearning after these perfections, 
to bring his nature in accordance with the Divine na 
ture. We are now in this lecture, however, concerned 
only with the work of restoration of the Divine image 
in the human reason as truth. 

The symbol of truth is light. It is a beautiful say- 



120 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

ing of Bacon, that of the Divine days of creation, the 
first day's work was light, the last day's work was still 
light, and the Sabbath day's work has been ever since 
only — light : the first day's work physical light, the 
light of sense/ the last day's work, the light of reason, 
the planting of his image in human nature; and the 
Sabbath day's work ever since has been and ever will 
be the illumination of the Divine Spirit — and thus 
the brightening and perfecting of that image. This is 
the Divine work. Now man's work is to cooperate 
with Him — to seek light, to seek truth. If God's work 
is to shed light, man's is to receive light and reflect it 
on others ; if God's work is to reveal truth, man's is to 
attain truth and impart it. The seeking and the attain- 
ment of truth is, indeed, the process of restoring the 
Divine image in the human reason. Therefore we should 
seek truth not for pride or power — that we may be 
like gods, knowing good and evil — nor for vanity, nor 
even primarily for utility ; but because we thereby be- 
come partakers of the Divine thought, and in so far 
partakers of the Divine nature. 

Now, I have just indicated above the two wrong 
ends of truth-seeking : one is truth-seeking for pride — 
that we may be as gods ; the other is truth-seeking for 
utility. The end in the one case is culture, intellectual 
strength, and beauty, for ourselves ; the end in the other 
case is material prosperity and wealth. The error in 
both cases consists in the termination of activity on 
self, and in the non-recognition of the essential na- 
ture of truth as the Divine image in the human rea- 
son. The one is the error of the metaphysician, the 
other is the error of the worldly-minded and the mate- 



TRUTH. 121 

rialist. We will take up first the error of the meta- 
physician. 

All distinguished metaphysical writers advocate 
the view that the end of mental activity is not truth, 
but culture; that exercise is better than truth, that 
activity is better than attainment. Nearly all meta- 
physicians, from Aristotle to Sir William Hamilton, 
have dwelt on this point, and some of the most magni- 
ficent and glowing passages of these great writers are 
in vindication of this proposition. Hamilton likens 
truth to game, and the process of attaining truth to a 
chase : the exercise of our powers is far better than the 
game which we so ardently seek. Lessing, far more 
bold, says : " If the Almighty, holding in one hand 
truth and in the other search after truth, presented 
them to me and asked me which I would choose, with 
all humility but without hesitation I should say, give 
me search after truth." Malebranche saj- s : " If I held 
truth captive like a bird in my hand, I would let it go 
again, that I might again chase and capture it." Does 
not this remind us of children chasing butterflies 2. 
Miiller says, "Truth is the property of God alone ;S 
search after truth belongs to man." Yes, that which \ 
metaphysicians mostly search after, viz., essential truth, J 
does indeed belong to God alone. But science would 
formulate the same proposition thus: essential truth 
belongs to God alone ; revealed truth — truth revealed 
in Nature and in Scripture — belongs to man. 

Thus Metaphysics ever strives after essential truth, 

after the unattainable, and of course fails ; and then 

she comforts herself with the idea that the activity 

of this search is better than the truth itself. These 

6 



122 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

intellectual Titans would scale the very heavens, and 
are of course thrown back to earth. " It matters not : 
scaling heaven is excellent exercise for intellectual Ti- 
tans." Truth hangs like beautiful grape-clusters far 
beyond our reach; the grapes may be sour, at least 
they are too high. " It matters not : jumping is good 
exercise." Truth is a beautiful rainbow spanning the 
heavens at a distance, with a treasure beneath it ; we 
poor children run ever toward it, but, as we approach, 
it ever flies before us. " It matters not : running is ex- 
cellent exercise for children.' , Yes, it is good exercise ; 
but, alas ! our weary legs and our deceived hopes. 

Thus Metaphysics deludes us with promises of es- 
sential knowledge, of food of the gods ; cheats us with 
gilded apples full of ashes. Is it indeed thus, then ? Is 
truth, indeed, unattainable ? Are we to be ever thus 
cheated and deluded in our search after truth ? By no 
means. The mistake is, that Metaphysics, at least the 
older Metaphysics, seeks after the unattainable; and 
therefore the advantage of metaphysical studies is in- 
deed only mental activity ; and it will continue to be 
so until scientific methods are adopted by her. 

Let us examine a little more closely the proposition 
by which Metaphysics seeks to magnify herself, and 
place her own department above all others in impor- 
tance. Observe, then — the proposition is that activity, 
or exercise of our powers, is the main advantage of 
truth-seeking — that truth-seeking is strictly comparable 
to a chase after game, or to athletic sports of any kind, 
in all of which we admit that exercise of human powers 
is far more important than the insignificant end after 
which we temporarily seek. But truth-seeking is not 



TRUTH. 123 

comparable to athletic sports, and such comparison mis- 
takes the nature of truth entirely. In sports and in 
the chase we exercise our immortal powers, in attain- 
ing purely temporal and trivial ends. In such cases, 
of course the activity is better than the end. The very 
word sport implies this. But, as soon as the end which 
we seek is the Divine thought, the words sport and 
game are no longer admissible — to the earnest truth- 
seeker they savor almost of blasphemy. In truth-seek- 
ing, both the end and the exercise are of great impor- 
tance ; but already the end is superior to the exercise. 
If we next rise one step higher, to the seeking of moral 
and religious truth and spiritual blessings, the process, 
or means, are simply swallowed up in the infinite impor- 
tance of the end. Suppose we should apply Lessing's 
aphorism to religious truth and spiritual blessings: 
" If the Almighty offered in one hand knowledge of 
God, and spiritual blessings, faith, pardon, holiness; 
and in the other seeking after these by prayer, even 
unavailing prayer — I would say give me eternal seek- 
ing." Or Malebranche's : " If I had the Holy Spirit in 
my heart, I would let Him go, that I might again seek 
after Him." You at once perceive how absurd and 
blasphemous the aphorisms become. 

Now, to all this metaphysical spirit of truth-seek- 
ing, science opposes itself with its whole power. To 
science, truth is the very aliment of the mind. Essen- 
tial truth, indeed, is not given us, but what is given us 
is the very food upon which the mind and the soul 
feed and grow. Science, to be sure, does not offer 
us essential truth, but it does offer us revealed truth. 
It does not, indeed, offer us food fit for gods, but it 



124 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

does offer us bread. Coarse it may be, and homely, 
but wholesome bread, such as is suited to our intel- 
lectual digestion. Exercise is good, no doubt, but the 
starving must first have food. Now, science not only 
gives us food, but teaches us that food-getting is also 
the best exercise. Exercise is good, but healthy growth 
is much better, and we grow by food, not by exercise. 
.How different from the metaphysical view is that of 
Bacon, the father of the inductive method ! " The in- 
quiry of truth, which is the wooing of it ; the knowledge 
of truth, which is the presence of it ; and the belief in 
truth, which is the enjoying of it ; is the sovereign good 
of our human nature." 

We pass now to the second error, or wrong end 
in truth-seeking, viz., truth-seeking for utilit} 7 , for tem- 
poral ends, for material prosperity and wealth. 

It is a very common idea that the true and only 
end of science is to embody itself in useful art ; that 
the highest end of science is to clothe us, feed us, and 
bear us about ; to clothe us more magnificently, to feed 
us more luxuriously, and bear us about with more 
rapidity, ease, and comfort ; that he who consumes his 
whole life in seeking and attaining truth, and thus 
bringing his thoughts in accordance with the Divine 
thoughts, and perfecting the Divine image in his own 
reason, is sufficiently rewarded for broken health and 
life consumed, if he haply discovers — not a new law, 
not a Divine thought, but an improved mode of making 
spectacles or a new process of reducing metals. And 
this view is not confined to the ignorant, but even the 
most intelligent think and speak in this groveling way. 
Verily, such men would turn this beautiful earth of 



TRUTH. 125 

ours, the garden of the Almighty, the glorious exhibi- 
tion of the Divine wisdom and beauty, into a stable or 
fodder-house ; they would pluck the lights from heaven 
and put them in candlesticks ; they would hew down 
the tree of science to make timber withal, instead of 
allowing it to blossom and bear fruit for the healing of 
the nations. 

But they who think and speak in this way have no 
idea either of the dignity of science or of the dignity 
of man. The true and highest end of science is not to 
lead downward to art, but upward to the fountain of 
all wisdom. Astronomy is more to be honored for 
opening the gates of heaven, and revealing the har- 
monies of the universe, than even for extending the 
limits or increasing the safety of navigation. Geology 
is more to be admired for opening the gates of infinite 
time, and revealing lost creations, than even for tracing 
beds of coal or veins of metal. Only it has been merci- 
fully ordered for our encouragement that every step in 
the higher walks of science shall be attended sooner or 
later with material benefits ; that every law of Nature, 
besides its higher function of pointing to the great 
First Cause, shall have also its appointed duty of 
administering to the material wants of man ; that sun, 
moon, and stars, while they circle about the throne of 
God, and join their spheral harmony with the songs of 
angels, shall not forget to bless man in their courses ; 
that streams, whether " adown enormous ravines they 
rush amain," filling the hills with their joy, and in their 
perilous fall thundering the praises of God, or bear the 
image of heaven on their broad, placid bosoms, shall 
also turn our mills and water our meadows. But, I 



226 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

repeat, it is thus ordered for our encouragement, not 
for our highest reward. Truth is its own unspeakable 
reward. "We must seek it — even if we would be suc- 
cessful in our material applications — we must seek it 
for its own sake, as the image of Deity. 

Finally, let me say that intense longing and ardent 
seeking for truth for its own sake — truth of all kinds, 
revealed in Nature and revealed in Scripture — has 
ever been my life-passion. The one kind of truth, that 
revealed in Nature, we attain step by step. It is a joy 
to see the glorious temple of science rise steadily, tier 
by tier, in beautiful proportions, under the hands of 
thousands of busy workmen ; it is a still greater joy to 
mingle in the busy throng and join in the noble work. 
Our theology here is one, our faith here is complete. 
But ah, how dim is the revelation of those very truths 
which we wish most to know ! How imperfect is its an- 
swer to our passionate questionings of whence we come 
and whither we go ! The other revelation is intended 
to reveal these very things, to answer these very ques- 
tions ; but alas ! again, how different our theologies and 
how feeble our faith ! If I know myself at all, I can say 
that my most passionate prayer, perhaps too passion- 
ate, has ever been " light ! light ! Show me the truth, 
and give me unwavering faith in it ! " I say, perhaps 
too passionate, because even this possibly savors of 
intellectual pride. There is a better, because an humbler 
prayer, " Show us our duty, and give us strength to do 
it." "With this prayer light will come also. If we do 
the will of our Father, then shall we also Tcnow whether 
the doctrine be his. 



LECTURE Vltf. 

JUSTICE. 

My Christian Friends : The subject of this even- 
ing's lecture is the Divine Justice. "We have seen in 
the last lecture that truth abstractly is so much of the 
Divine thought as has been realized by the Divine 
will. Truth in man, therefore, is the accordance of the 
human mind with the Divine mind. A true theory is 
a formula which truly expresses the Divine thought ; 
a true human thought is one which is an image of the 
Divine thought. In a word the Divine thought is the 
standard of truth, and there is no other truth except 
the Divine thought, and whatever in man is accordant 
with it. 

This point is so important that I think it best to 
stop one moment, to render it clear by a single illustra- 
tion : 

Organic forms of the animal and vegetable kingdoms 
are so numerous and diverse that their first effect is 
simply to oppress and bewilder the mind. The first 
3tep in their scientific study is therefore to simplify by 
classification. Now, we may classify upon many prin- 
ciples, but there is only one true classification, viz., that 
which groups organic forms according to their true 



128 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

relations and real affinities. These true relations and 
real affinities are an expression of what I might call 
the Divine classification. Our classification is true 
just in proportion as it embodies these true relations 
and real affinities — just in proportion as it is natural ; 
in other words, in proportion as it is an image of the 
Divine classification. With every increase of knowl- 
edge of the real affinities of organisms, we modify our 
classification, making it more and more like the Divine 
original, but it never can be perfect until our knowledge 
is complete. Every other classification is a mere 
human device to simplify Nature, and therefore neces- 
sarily artificial and false. There have been such purely 
human classifications, such human devices to simplify 
the complexity of Nature, as for example the celebrated 
Linnsean artificial classification of plants, but, like all 
things human which are not in the image of the Divine, 
such classifications serve only a temporary purpose — 
they are speedily found to be untrue to Nature, and 
therefore rejected. I repeat, therefore, that in all 
things the only standard of truth is the Divine thought. 
The same is true, as we have already seen, 1 in re- 
gard to Wisdom. The only real wisdom is the Divine 
wisdom, and whatever in man is accordant with Divine 
wisdom ; and every other apparent wisdom, which is 
not thus accordant, is mere folly. So also is it with 
human power : it is true, and genuine, and effective, 
only in proportion as it is accordant with the laws of 
Divine energy. So is it, and must it be, with our 
whole nature : we are but the reflected image of the 
Deity and all that is true, or wise, or good, or effective 

1 Lecture V. 



JUSTICE. 129 

in us, is that which is accordant with the Divine ori- 
ginal. 

The same, therefore, must be true of justice. There 
is really no other justice but that which originates with 
Him. The Divine will is the rule of right, as the Di- 
vine thought is the law of reason. All other justice, so 
called, which is not thus accordant, must be only appar- 
ent, not real. It must be so : it follows as a necessary 
consequence of a just conception of Deity. How, then, 
shall we judge the justice of the Divine ways by our 
reason ? Does it not seem a contradiction in terms ? 
Yet man is made in the image of God. Man's reason 
was given him in order to compare his thoughts with 
the Divine thoughts, his wisdom with the Divine wis- 
dom, and his justice with the Divine justice. It is 
right, therefore, for man — it is the domain of human rea- 
son — to justify the ways of God. Yes, justify ', but not 
try. The proper attitude of man is, not his truth tried 
by our reason, but our reason brought in accordance 
with his truth; not his thought by our thought, but 
our thought in accordance with his thought ; not his 
justice and his ways by our notions of justice ; but 
our notions of justice and our ways in accordance with 
his revealed justice. If we once get a true conception 
of Deity as we find it in the absolute and in those attri- 
butes most closely connected with the absolute, then 
wisdom, truth, and justice, as Divine attributes, follow 
as a necessary consequence. We cannot even conceive 
of Deity as being unwise, or untrue, or unjust : it is a 
simple contradiction in terms. Furthermore, we can- 
not conceive of Him except as the source of all wisdom, 
and truth, and justice. 



130 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

This, then, is the result of an enlightened interpre- 
tation of Nature. But, has Nature always been so in- 
terpreted ? By no means ; this result has only been 
reached by enlightened interpretation; it is the last 
and highest term of human thought. Now, this very 
conception of Deity, as essentially and necessarily just 
and true, has been revealed to us in the Scriptures 
from the first. " Shall not the judge of all the earth 
do right ? " 

Justice may be defined as the dispensing of reward 
and punishment in proportion to right-doing or wrong- 
doing — the dispensing of happiness and misery in pro- 
portion to life according to law, or life in violation of 
law. Writers upon this subject, therefore, have spoken 
of two kinds of justice, viz., remunerative and pani- 
tlve justice. Remunerative justice is the dispensing of 
rewards in proportion to merit, to service, to good 
work, to life according to law. Now, in strictness, this 
kind of justice is not for us and would not be, even if 
we were perfect. This is finely expressed by the most 
philosophic of modern poets, Tennyson : 

"For merit lives from man to man, 
But not from man, Lord, to thee." 

It is expressed also in many passages of Scripture. 
" When ye have done all, then say we are unprofitable 
servants." In other words, merit cannot live between 
the finite and the infinite. Hence the happiness dis- 
pensed in proportion to life according to law is not in 
the nature of reward, but is freely bestowed or else 
comes as a consequence of the regular operation of be* 
neficent law. 



JUSTICE. 131 

Punitive justice is the dispensing of pain and mis- 
ery in proportion to life in violation of law. It is some- 
times called retributive justice. Now if, by the word 
retributive, it is intended to imply a spirit of vindictive- 
ness, a spirit of retaliation, which takes pleasure in the 
pain and misery inflicted, then such a notion of Divine 
justice is foreign to the spirit of Science ; is, in fact, re- 
pudiated by her. Punishment in proportion to the 
violation of law comes by the regular operation of in- 
exorable law itself. This, to the scientific man, is the 
nature of Divine justice. There maybe more than this ; 
but this is what Nature teaches. 

Now, there is in the present age, and I think rap- 
idly growing among religious persons, and especial- 
ly among what I might call semi-religious persons, a 
weak, morbid sentimentalism that cannot endure the 
idea of Divine justice, but shrinks before this stern at- 
tribute. It loves to dwell upon the tenderer and gen- 
tler attributes of Deity. It delights to think of the 
love, the goodness, the grace, the mercy, and the pity 
of God ; but justice, strict and stern, this attribute is too 
vigorous, too healthy, too rude and robust, for their 
weak spirits. These sensitive, delicately-organized, 
and refined souls shrink and droop in the presence of 
this too sturdy attribute. 

This our age, my friends, is full of strange contra- 
dictions. But, perhaps the age is not peculiar in this 
respect : the same is probably true of all ages : indeed, 
they are but the outcome of the contradictions of the 
human heart. This age is the most practical of all 
ages ; but it is also the most impractical of all ages. 
It is the most practical in all that concerns our material, 



132 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

lower life : it is the most impractical in all that concerns 
our higher spiritual life. Thus it is that there is grow- 
ing up side by side, often in the same individual, a 
gross materialism on the one hand, and a refined, un- 
substantial sentimentalism on the other. 

Now, in a true humanity our higher and our lower 
natures are closely and indissolubly connected with one 
another in a marriage relation, and both are infinitely 
benefited by the relation. Our higher nature, by its 
connection with the more vigorous lower nature, re- 
ceives body and strength, while our lower nature by its 
connection with the higher is elevated and refined. 
This is the true type of a vigorous and healthy human- 
ity. But the tendency of the age is to dissociate, to 
divorce the higher life from the lower ; to separate our 
daily practical life from our inner religious and spirit- 
ual life, to separate our life in this world from our life 
hereafter : and the result is, our lower life, left to it- 
self, becomes more material, more gross, more utili- 
tarian, hardly elevated above mere animal life in its 
ideas and feelings ; while, on the other hand, as if to 
make compensation, our higher life is sublimed away 
into an ethereal, visionary kind of sentimentalism for 
want of connection with the more vigorous lower life. 
It is this dissociation of the inner life, of the religious 
sentiments and emotions from the practical religious 
duties of life — it is this which constitutes what I call 
religious sentimentalism. 

A similar spirit, it seems to me, may be traced in 
every department of human activity, giving rise every- 
where to a false direction of activity. It is characterized 
everywhere by this divorce of the higher from the lower 



JUSTICE. 133 

life, and also by the turning of the activity of the mind 
and soul inward upon itself, instead of outward upon 
practical life. Thus, you will observe, it is a kind of 
selfism, but often a refined kind of selfism, all the more 
dangerous on account of its refinement. We find this, 
as already stated, in every realm of human activity, 
producing everywhere the same unhealthy inversion of 
the ends of life. "We find it in the realm of thought, 
giving rise to false direction to intellectual activity. 
We find it in the realm of industry, giving rise to a 
false direction to industrial activity. We find it in the 
realm of art, giving rise to a false art. We find it in 
the realm of religion, giving rise to religious sentimen- 
talism. The effect is everywhere the same, it destroys 
healthy activity. Let us, then, trace it in each of these 
different realms. 

The first realm in which we shall trace this false 
direction of activity is the realm of thought. It is that 
metaphysical, speculative spirit which we described in 
our last lecture : speculation for the sake of specula- 
tion ; speculation for the joy and excitement of intel- 
lectual activity ; truth-seeking for the sake of the exer- 
cise, not for the attainment of truth ; truth-seeking as 
a gymnastic training to produce strength, beauty, agil- 
ity, and dexterity ; and this strength and agility not to 
be used to attain any useful result, but only for intel- 
lectual display ; for display of gymnastic feats, for ex- 
hibition of skill in dialectic contests, of skill in intellect- 
ual gladiatorship. These intellectual gymnasts pride 
themselves in the art of warding skillfully and skill- 
fully planting a blow; the art of skillfully wrestling, 
and throwing an adversary. They are fond of debate 



134 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

for the sake of debate ; of dispute, for the intellectual 
activity which comes of dispute, and the glory of 
victory. 

" They will distinguish and divide 
A hair 'twixt south and southwest side ; 
On either side they will dispute, 
Confute, change hands, and still confute." 

Truth-seeking to them is sport, a chase ; rivalry is the 
motive, exercise and victory are the end. 

Now, Science is entirely opposed to this false spirit. 
The earnest seeker after truth cannot thus lightly 
change sides for the sake of display and victory. Science 
seeks truth, not victory. Truth is the aliment on which 
she lives; she is willing, if necessary, to creep pain- 
fully from point to point, gathering crumb after crumb, 
and glad to get even these. These agile metaphysical 
spirits, therefore, despise the slow, steady, creeping ad- 
vance of Science. Gathering crumbs is far below the 
soaring ambition of these nimble-skipping spirits. 
They speak of Science contemptuously as bread-and- 
butter Science. Meanwhile Science pursues its steady 
course, gathering crumbs here and there, little by little, 
careless either of exercise or victory, seeking only 
truth : knowing that growth, and exercise, and the best 
culture, and final victory, come only of truth-getting. 

This false spirit of truth-seeking has invaded to 
some extent even the domain of Science itself. It 
does not find congenial soil there, however ; it exists 
only in those who have not been thoroughly trained 
in scientific methods, nor imbued with the true in- 
ductive spirit. In science it is that wild and vague 
speculative spirit which leaps to conclusions without 



JUSTICE. 135 

sufficient basis of observation or experiments. Now, 
the true spirit of Science is altogether opposed to this. 
It clips the wings of speculation and of imagination, 
and makes these subordinate to cautious induction. 
Imagination is, indeed, necessary in science, as in 
every department of mental activity; but its wings 
must be clipped— it must be held subordinate to reason. 
We are but fledglings here, we are but nestlings cry- 
ing for food ; we are not able yet to soar ; it is better 
not to attempt it, lest we fall and break our limbs. 

You will observe, then, in comparing the false 
with the true spirit of truth-seeking, that the false 
terminates on self and the joy of its own intellect- 
ual activity; but it gathers no store, has nothing 
to distribute, and therefore confers no blessing on 
others. On the other hand, the true spirit, the spirit 
of science, terminates outward : first, as abstract science, 
it terminates outward and upward in seeking and 
gathering truth ; and then, having gotten it, as prac- 
tical science it terminates outward and downward, in 
distributing it and conferring blessing upon whatever 
it touches. 

The next realm in which we will trace a similar 
false spirit is the realm of industry. There is a true 
and a false spirit of activity here also. The true spirit 
is that of enterprise and legitimate industry ; the false 
spirit is that of speculation. The very name which 
we apply to it, speculation, allies it to the false spec- 
ulative spirit in the realm of thought. True work in 
this as well as in the previous case consists in slow 
accumulation, persevering crumb-gathering and stor- 
ing, and liberal crumb-distributing, thus blessing all it 



136 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

comes in contact with. The false spirit in this, as well 
as the last, eagerly grasps after the whole at once, is 
full of restless excitement and activity, but, so far from 
conferring any blessing on others, it only blights and 
paralyzes the true, healthy spirit of industry. The true 
tightens, the false loosens, all the bonds of society. 
Speculation lives upon ignorance and dies in the pres- 
ence of knowledge: Science is the enemy of specula- 
tion, but the fast friend of legitimate enterprise and 
industry. 

Let us next trace the same false spirit of activity in 
the realm of fine art, the realm of imagination and 
emotion. Here it is far more widely spread and far 
more destructive in its effects. 

Emotion, imagination : what is the true function 
of these? In every healthy nature these find their 
natural termination in active life. They are the natural 
stimuli to right conduct and noble action. Love nat- 
urally terminates in kind and helpful acts. Righteous 
indignation for social wrongs naturally terminates in 
attempts to redress. Pity in the healthy mind naturally 
and inevitably seeks its termination in the relief of suf- 
fering humanity. The very object of a healthy art, 
therefore, is, by means of the kindled imagination and 
the excited emotions which it produces, to stimulate 
the will to noble acts. It holds up the ideal of manly 
dignity and of feminine purity and beauty, in order that 
we may strive to bring our lives in accordance with 
these ideals. But in these latter times nearly all art 
has prostituted itself to feed the morbid sentimentalism 
of the age. The tendency is to produce excitement for 
the sake of excitement, emotion for the sake of" the 



JUSTICE. 137 

delirious intoxication of emotion. True art ought to 
and does invigorate and strengthen and purify our 
natures, and prepare us for every duty of ordinary life ; 
but this false art only weakens and enervates and un-> 
fits for active life. 

We see abundant illustrations of this false art in the 
sensational novels and dramas of the period. These 
sensational writers are, in fact, but manufacturers of 
intoxicating materials, and those who indulge in the 
use of these materials, for the sake of mental intoxica- 
tion, finally lose all their mental health and stamina. 
They live in an unreal world of delicious hasheesh 
dreams or delirous alcoholic excitement. All their ac- 
tivity is in this ideal world. They spend their lives 
building unsubstantial castles in the air, when they 
should be building substantial castles on the solid 
ground. Persons of this kind will actually burn with 
indignation at unreal wrongs, and never think of re- 
dressing the real wrongs all about them. They will 
melt in maudlin tears over imaginary sufferings, and 
would not lift a finger to relieve the real sufferings at 
their door. They are recalled with pain and reluctance 
from the delicious ideal world of dreams in which they 
revel, to this dull, gross, material, actual world. Ideal 
suffering they weep over, but real suffering, associated 
as it often is with filth and rags, and perhaps with vice, 
bah ! they shrink from it ; their over-refined natures 
are affected not with pity, but only with disgust. They 
have been so long accustomed to weak self-indulgence, 
that they cannot bear the sympathetic suffering which 
they must feel in the presence of real suffering. 

In some persons of this morbid nature, even love, 



138 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

that strong, noble, passionate emotion — even love, in- 
stead of going outward seeking its object, turns in- 
ward upon itself; instead of strengthening, as it ought, 
every part of our nature, mind, heart, and body, so that 
the whole man is all aglow with a stronger and no- 
bler manhood, sinks into weak love-sickness, moping, 
growing melancholy, losing its appetite, and falling 
away, and finally ends in loving, not the object, but the 
delicious sensation of love. Even the stormy passion 
of grief, grief for the loss of dearest ones, is similarly 
transformed into grief-sickness. A strong, healthy soul 
will strive with its utmost power to bring even this 
emotion into subordination to reason, and for this pur- 
pose will throw itself with greater energy into active 
life ; but these morbid and sentimental souls turn in- 
ward and feed upon themselves and nurse their own 
emotions until love for the lost one is transformed into 
love for the grief itself. 

Last of all is the misdirection of activity in the 
realm of religion. Here the sad effects are so great 
that I have no heart to describe it at length. Here, as 
elsewhere, it consists essentially of a turning inward of 
the sentiments and emotions, feeding upon and delight- 
ing in themselves, instead of going outward to termi- 
nate upon the practical duties of life. Alas ! how often 
do we find this introversion of activity ! How often do 
we find persons who experience delightful religious 
emotions, who express beautiful religious sentiments, 
but neglect religious duties ! Such persons love to talk 
of Christian virtues and the beauty of Christian charac- 
ter ; they admire it much as they do a picture ; they 
love to contemplate Christ healing the sick, feeding the 



JUSTICE. 139 

multitude, and blessing little children, but not with a 
whip of small cords purifying the temple, and still less 
as the inexorable final Judge. Talk to them of Chris- 
tian sentiments and Christian virtues, they are elo- 
quent ; talk to them of Christian duties and Christian 
responsibilities, they are cool ; talk to them of self- 
sacrifice, of human depravity, or of inevitable punish- 
ment for infraction of moral law, and they shrink away. 
It is this state of mind, this religious sentimental]' sm, 
that cannot endure the idea of inexorable justice as a 
Divine attribute. 

Now, in its whole spirit, and with its whole power, 
science opposes every form of subjectiveness and senti- 
mentality — this false direction of activity in every 
realm. All these err by introversion of activity, by turn- 
ing inward and terminating on self; science turns ever 
outward and upward for truth, and, having obtained it, 
again turns outward and downward in useful embodi- 
ment, Again, all these err in terminating in culture ; sci- 
ence seeks truth rather than culture, knowing that both 
growth and culture come with truth. Again, all these 
err in dissociating the higher from the lower nature, 
and thus starve our spiritual nature by want of vital 
connection with our more vigorous lower nature ; science 
binds all parts of our individual nature and all parts and 
classes of society, both higher and lower, together in 
indissoluble practical union. I have already illustrated 
fully the antagonism of science to other forms of this 
false spirit; it only remains to show how it antagonizes 
religious sentimentalism, and vindicates and illustrates 
the inexorable justice of Deity. 

You will remember, then, that the religious senti- 



HO RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

mentalism of the age abhors the idea of inviolable Di- 
vine law and inexorable Divine justice : Science, on the 
other hand, sees everywhere and knows only the reign 
of universal, invariable, inexorable law, inviolable with- 
out punishment. In Nature, every act and every event 
produces inevitably its legitimate result. In Nature, 
opposition to law is simple waste of energy, violation 
of law is inevitable injury. Law, in Nature, vindicates 
itself and punishes inevitably by its own operation. 
Human law is external ; it is something imposed and 
not necessary : it may be different from what it is, it is 
different in different places, and at different times. 
But the Divine law is not external, superimposed, add- 
ed to Nature and to us : it is around us and within us, 
embracing us and penetrating us : it is the same every- 
where and at all times. In human law, punishment 
also is external and superimposed ; it is not necessary, 
and may often be avoided. The Divine law, on the 
contrary, is not only universal, but, under it and in it 
and by it we live, and move, and have our being ; to 
avoid it, therefore, is impossible; to violate it is to 
bring punishment on the offender by the operation of 
the law itself. 

We sometimes personify human law ; we speak of 
the dignity of the law, of the law doing this and the 
law doing that, but we all know that it is only by a 
metaphor that we thus speak. But the Divine law, 
especially in physical Nature, being everywhere present, 
invariable in its operation and inevitably vindicating 
its own dignity and bringing its own punishment, it is 
almost impossible for the human mind to avoid believ- 
ing in its personality or at least in its efficient agency. 



JUSTICE. 141 

Nevertheless, law, whether human or Divine, is not and 
cannot be an efficient agent — it is only, and can be 
only, the mode of operation of will guided by intelli- 
gence. Only in the case of Deity, the intelligence be- 
ing perfect, and the will unchangeable, the law is in- 
variable. Thus, you perceive that the universality of 
natural law is not only the symbol of, but it is, the 
omnipresent, Divine energy ; the inviolability of natu- 
ral law is not only the symbol of, but it is, the inexo- 
rable Divine justice. 

We have seen, then, that the laws of Nature every- 
where carry their own vindication and inflict punishment 
by their own operation ; but the severity of this pun- 
ishment is in proportion to the dignity of the law vio- 
lated. Thus, in the realm of external Nature, the viola- 
tion of physical laws results in failure, in waste of en- 
ergy, in disappointment, perhaps in financial ruin ; in 
the realm of organic Nature, in our own bodies, violation 
of physiological laws brings severer punishment, brings 
pain and disease, and premature death. So, also, in 
the higher realm of moral Nature, the violation of moral 
law, inevitably and by its own operation, brings far 
sorer punishment, brings anguish, and misery, and spir- 
itual disease, and spiritual death. As in the violation 
of physiological laws and in the sickness which follows, 
we may by stimulants put off the evil day, we may by 
opiate drugs benumb the senses into forgetfulness and 
sleep, but cannot avert the final event; even so in the 
violation of moral law and in the moral sickness which 
follows, we may stupefy the soul and drown it in deep 
opiate sleep of sensuousness and unbelief; but this 
will not, cannot avert the final result. 



LECTURE IX 



LOYE. 



My Christian Friends : The subject of my even- 
ing's lecture is the Divine Love — a subject of such 
Bacredness and tender interest for every one of us, that 
I know not how I shall treat it worthily. The love 
of God, the goodness of God, the beneficence, the 
compassion, the mercy, the grace of God ! How the 
heart throbs, how the tenderest associations of our 
past life come rushing in upon the soul, at the bare 
mention of these words ! These are often treated sepa- 
rately, but they are evidently but different modes of 
the same attribute. Warming the Divine heart in 
sympathy, we call it love; going outward in kind 
acts, we call it goodness or beneficence. Stirring 
the heart painfully at the sight of suffering, we call it 
pity or compassion ; going outward, again, in help and 
relief, we call it mercy. But so is it with all the 
Divine attributes : they are all one, they all proceed 
from the same essential nature ; trace them upward, 
they converge and unite, but their point of union is 
lost in the insufferable light of the absolute. It is so 
with all ; but these are so obviously one that we can- 



LOVE. 143 

not treat them separately — they unite and become one 
even within the range of human vision. 

The Divine love is clearly and abundantly revealed 
in Nature, but only in the form of general benevolence 
and general beneficence. Nature, including man, is but 
one scheme. Whether we regard external Nature as 
made in accordance with the wants of man, or whether 
we regard man as made in accordance with the laws of 
Nature ; or whether we regard man as having sprung 
by a process of evolution out of Nature ; in either case 
the result would be the same, viz., the adaptation of 
external Nature to the nature and wants of man, and 
therefore, the general beneficence of the laws of Nature 
in relation to man. The daily cycle of Nature, morn- 
ing, noon, evening, and night, to be again followed by 
morning in perpetual round : is not this beneficent to 
man in refreshing his strength ? The annual cycle of 
Nature : spring with its buds and blossoms, summer 
with its leafy boughs, autumn with its waving corn- 
fields, its clustering vines, and its scattered leaves, and 
winter with its snowy shroud and death-sleep, to be again 
followed by the reawakening of spring in eternal round : 
is not this beneficent to us, bringing us seed-time and 
harvest? The circidation of air and water — vapors 
rising from the ocean, condensing in gathering clouds 
and falling as rain upon our mountains, and back again 
flowing as rivers to their ocean-home, in eternal round : 
is not this also beneficent to us, watering our meadows, 
fertilizing our plains, and turning our mills ? 

Even things in Nature which seem to us evil, when 
deeply considered, are really beneficent in their general 
effects. Earthquakes and volcanoes, which strike us 



144 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

with so much terror, are but occasional accidents neces- 
sary in the general operation of those grand laws by 
which continents and sea-bottoms and mountain-chains 
are formed — the laws by means of which this earth 
was gradually prepared for the habitation of organisms, 
and finally prepared for the habitation of man. Pain 
we consider evil ; but painful sensations are only watch- 
ful vedettes upon the outposts of our organism to warn 
us of approaching danger. Without these, the citadel 
of our life would be quickly surprised and taken. Even 
death itself, which we look upon as the sum of evils, is 
really beneficent in its general effect. For, observe, 
the quantity of matter to be appropriated and embodied 
in the organic kingdom is very limited. It would be 
quickly exhausted were it not constantly returned to 
the atmosphere, whence it came, by death. One gen- 
eration takes it, embodies it a brief time, and returns 
it by death. Another generation takes the same, em- 
bodies, and again returns it. Thus, the same matter 
has been embodied and disembodied thousands, yea, 
millions of times, in the geological history of the earth. 
The law of generation obviously necessitates the law 
of death. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the 
sum of animal happiness, yea, of human happiness, on 
this earth has been infinitely increased by the constant 
change of generations, and, therefore, by the law of death. 
We see, therefore, that Nature reveals clearly the 
general benevolence and beneficence of Deity, and all 
the more clearly in proportion as we study her laws 
more deeply. But the human heart yearns for some- 
thing more than general beneficence and general be- 
nevolence. The human heart yearns for special, per- 



LOVE. 145 

sonal love which shall answer to his own yearning*, per- 
sonal affections — fatherly love on the part of Deity 
answering to the filial yearnings of his own heart. 
But Nature, when questioned on this point, is silent. 
Alas ! thus is it always with Nature ; the very ques- 
tions which concern us most deeply — viz., our personal 
and moral relations to Deity — she either refuses to 
answer, or else answers only imperfectly. It may be 
that hereafter, when we understand her better, her 
revelations may be clearer on this point, but at present 
her answers are imperfect. Nature reveals clearly the 
intellectual character of Deity, but less clearly his 
moral nature. She reveals clearly personal intelligence, 
but less clearly moral personality. She reveals very 
clearly the sovereignty, but less clearly the fatherhood 
of God. She is a perfect revelation to our intellects, 
but imperfect to our hearts. But man has also a moral 
nature, as well as an intellectual nature, in the image 
of God. As there is a Divine intelligence answering 
to his intelligence, there must be also a Divine moral 
nature, and especially a Divine love, answering to his 
love. There must be a clearer revelation of these than 
we find in physical Nature, for such a revelation is man's 
sorest need. 

Yes ; there is such a revelation in our own moral 
nature, in our own hearts, for it also is in the image of 
God. Our moral nature is, to some extent, a revela- 
tion of the moral nature of Deity — our own love is a 
revelation of the Divine love. But, alas ! our hearts 
are so imperfect, the image of Deity is so obscure, and 
our methods of interpretation are yet so uncertain and 
deceptive, that still another external revelation is ne- 



146 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

cessaiy in order to interpret this one aright ; auothei 
by means of which the image implanted in the human 
heart may be brightened until it becomes a reliable 
revelation. Such a revelation we find in Scripture. 
In the Scriptures, therefore, and especially in the per- 
son of Christ, and nowhere else, we find a revelation 
of Divine love in all its infinite fulness and all its infi- 
nite tenderness — a revelation of the fatherhood of God, 
which completely satisfies all the yearnings of the hu- 
man heart, and all the demands of an enlightened hu- 
man reason. 

There are some attributes of Deity which are called 
essential, because of their closer connection with his 
essential nature — absolute being. But, in one sense, 
all his attributes are equally essential, as all are equally 
necessary to his infinite perfectness, and all equally 
flow from his essential nature. Nevertheless, this is 
especially true of two, viz., unconditioned being and 
love. These two can hardly be called attributes, they 
rather constitute his essential nature. From the abso- 
lute point of view, simply in himself considered, his 
essential nature is unconditioned being- ; but, from the 
relative point of view, considered in relation to other 
moral beings, his essential nature is love. Love is the 
essence of moral relations ; it is, therefore, the bond of 
connection between God and man. Therefore, the dear- 
est and also the truest conception of Him in his rela- 
tion to us is that of Father. 

This twofold essential nature of Deity — viz., the 
absolute and the good — is embodied in the very names 
of Deity ; the one in that awful Hebrew name Jeho- 
vah, the other in that more familiar and dearer Eng- 



LOVE. U1 

lish name God — the Good one. He is revealed in the 
Old Testament as Absolute being, " I am that am; " 
but, in the New Testament, his essential nature is re- 
vealed as love. Other attributes are spoken of as at- 
tributes qualifying his essential nature, but this one is 
spoken of as his essential nature itself. God is just, 
true, wise, mighty ; but God is not only loving, " God 
is love." 

But some religious sentimentalist will perhaps ask, 
u Can it be that such a one, who is not only loving, but 
whose essential nature in relation to us is love, who is 
not only merciful, but whose essential nature is mercy, 
can such a one punish severely weak, erring man ? Is 
not this attribute inconsistent with inexorable justice ? " 
My Christian friends, the Divine attributes are all one ; 
they cannot be separated. Love cannot exist apart 
from justice. Is it not so even with our human attri- 
butes ? Is it possible that a true human love should 
not be just also ? Do we not at once recognize that a 
love which is not also just is not a true love, and is not, 
therefore, in the image of the Divine love ? it is self- 
love mixed with love ; it is weak self-indulgence. 

We have thus far spoken of love as a Divine attri- 
bute only. We come now to speak of it as a human 
attribute ; we come now to speak of it in relation to 
man and in relation to human life. 

In the previous lectures, you will remember, we have 
shown that all wisdom, justice, power, and truth, is 
Divine, and that there is none other besides the Divine, 
and whatever is in man is accordant with the Divine. 
So must it be also with love. All real and true love 
in man must be that which is accordant with the Divine 



143 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

love. As truth is the answering of the human thought 
to the Divine thought, and then the outgoing of this 
to terminate upon our fellow-men; as all that is true 
and good in our nature and in our activity is the re- 
ceiving of the Divine by revelation, and then the shed- 
ding of it abroad by a secondary revelation : even so 
love in man is but the answering of the human heart 
to the Divine love, and then the outgoing of this to 
terminate on our fellow-men. 

If, then, God's essential nature in relation to man 
be love, man's essential nature in relation to God, and 
in relation to his fellow-man, is also love. If God is 
love, then the Godlike in man is also love. This is 
indeed the deepest of truths. In the widest and deepest 
sense love is the essence of all moral relations, the only 
true bond of connection between moral beings. As 
distinct and widely separated bodies in the physical 
universe are controlled only by the universal force of 
physical attraction which we call gravitation, even so 
in the moral world, separate, independent, moral beings 
are bound together, each in his several sphere, only by 
the force of love. If gravitj^ is the force which keeps 
the heavenly bodies in beautiful order and harmonious 
motion, even so the whole harmony of the moral world 
is determined entirely by the law of love. This idea 
is perfectly expressed in that profound saying of St. 
Paul, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Yes, of the 
whole law, the law of God, and the law of man. 

There is good as well as evil in human nature; not 
in a select few, as some would have us think, but in 
every human heart, for the image of God is in all. 
This image may be defaced, and blurred, and blotted, 



LOVE. 149 

almost invisible; but it is never wholly obliterated, 
and another image and superscription, viz., the devil's, 
stamped in its place, as some seem to think. In some 
it is gradually growing brighter, in some it is becom- 
ing darker and ever darker : but in every man, by vir- 
tue of his humanity, that image is still there. There 
is no human face, however deformed by vice, there is 
no human soul, however debased by sin, but there is 
something there worthy of our love, yea, worthy of 
our reverence, viz., the Divine image. If we cannot 
see it, it is our fault ; God sees it and compassionates 
its defaced condition. This fact is the basis and con- 
dition of religion and virtue ; it is the very seal and 
stamp of our humanity ; without it, we were no longer 
men, but fiends incarnate. 

There is, then, much good in man ; yes, much good, 
like his, because it is his. Human justice, enacting 
and enforcing laws, and punishing iniquity, is good. 
Carry this upward from the finite into the infinite, and 
it becomes the self-vindicating justice of God. Human 
wisdom is good : carry it upward from the finite to the 
infinite, and it becomes the Divine wisdom. Power in 
man is good, when exercised for right purposes : carry 
this upward in thought until it becomes infinite, and it 
is the omnipotence of God. Honor, truth, purity, are 
not these good ? are not these noble in man, and lovely 
in woman ? carry these upward, from the finite into the 
infinite, and they become the honor, truth, and holi- 
ness of God. Human love, conjugal love, maternal 
love, filial love, are not these good ? are not these the 
source of nearly all our earthly joys ? combine these 
together, purify them, and then carry them upward to 



150 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

the infinite, and they become the all-embracing love 
of God. All good in us, all that we rightly admire, or 
honor, or reverence, or love, in ourselves or our fellow- 
men, are but faint reflected images of that which is 
infinite and perfect in Deity. Is it possible that any 
human heart can forbear to love and worship such a 
being ? Will any one say He is too far above us, we 
cannot reach and take hold of Him ? Then see Him 
descend and veil himself in human flesh : see all these 
infinite perfections, embodied in our fellow, our brother, 
our Master. 

There is, then, much good of many kinds in man. 
But the essential good in man, that which underlies 
every other good quality and transmutes it into good, 
is love. This fact is recognized by popular instinct, 
and embodied in the word goodness, which is active 
love. The essential nature of Deity is twofold, abso- 
lute and relative, unconditioned being and love. But 
man is finite and conditioned, and only exists in rela- 
tions ; therefore, the essential nature of man is only 
one, love. 

Since love, then, is essential good, it follows that 
selfism, using the word in its widest sense, as the ter- 
mination of activity inward upon self, instead of out- 
ward upon others, is essential evil. Every form of vice 
and of evil comes of selfism. It may take the more 
refined forms of culture for culture's sake, of mental 
activity for the joy of mental activity, or of morbid 
sentimentalism, feeding on the excitement of its own 
emotions ; it may take the grosser form of sensuality 
and the indulgence of the lower appetites and pas- 
sions; it may take the harder and still more odious 



LOVE. 151 

form of disregard of the feelings and interests of 
others, and the cruel use of others for our own pur- 
poses; it may take still another form which some 
persons seem to think even noble and good, viz., arro- 
gant self-isolation, pride, self-asserting independence; 
but in every form it is evil, and evil only. Love is the 
law of our higher moral nature ; selfism is the law of 
our lower animal nature, and these are the two laws 
warring in our members of which St. Paul speaks so 
feelingly. The law of selfism is indeed natural, and 
therefore right, when subordinate to the higher law. 
It becomes true selfism, and therefore evil, only when 
it is the predominant law of our being. The law of our 
being is our lower animal nature, subordinate to our 
higher spiritual nature ; the law of selfism subordinate 
to the law of love. 

Love, as we have already said, is the fulfilling of 
the law of God. It is also the fulfilling of the law of 
oar being. This, it seems to me, is the deepest truth 
in all philosophy. But it was not St. Paul who first 
enunciated it. It first fell from the lips of the Divine 
Master, although not in the form of a philosophic for- 
mula, for that was not his mode of teaching. You will 
remember that, on one occasion, when a doctor of the 
law asked Him, "Which is the greatest command- 
ment ? " He answered, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart, and all thy mind, and all thy 
strength. This is the first and great commandmentj 
and the second is like unto it: thou shalt love thy 
neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments 
hang all the law and the prophets." The sum of the 
whole moral law is love to God and love to man ; but 



152 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

these two are but different forms of one single prin- 
ciple, viz., love. In fact, it is not only the same prin- 
ciple, but it may be said to be applied to the same 
thing : for it is love to God and love to Godlikeness 
in man ; it is love of the Divine original, and love of 
the reflected image of the Divine, however feeble, and 
wherever found. 

This, beyond doubt, is the grandest generalization 
in all philosophy. Let me illustrate by another similar 
generalization in the department of science. 

Nature reveals herself to us in sensuous phenom- 
ena, infinitely numerous and infinitely varied. These 
phenomena are not the subject of science; they are 
only the object of sense. They affect animals precisely 
as they do us. The first step in human reason, and 
therefore in science, is the grouping of these phenom- 
ena into laws. The next step is to rise higher, and 
group these laws under higher, fewer, and more general 
laws. We then, by a higher generalization, group these 
under still higher, fewer, and more general principles or 
forces of Nature. These are electricity, magnetism, 
heat, light, gravity, chemical affinity, vital force, and 
the like. For a long time the generalizing faculty 
of man paused just here. These forces seemed to be 
separate, independent principles or agents, controlling 
the phenomena of the universe; and all phenomena 
were grouped under these, producing the different de- 
partments of science. But it is the glory of modern 
science to have shown that these, again, may be trans- 
muted into each other ; that they are not independent 
principles, but are all only different forms of one univer- 
sal, omnipresent energy, which is nothing less than the 



LOVE. 153 

omnipresent energy of Deity himself. On a previous 
occasion I spoke of the fact that the realm or domain 
of human thought and human science is all that lies be- 
tween the phenomenon, the object of sense, and the First 
Cause, the object of faith. Now, here you will observe 
that science has carried us up higher and higher until 
it brings us within sight of the splendors of " the great 
white throne," and of Him who sits thereon. 

Now, this last step in science has been justly re- 
garded as the greatest triumph of human thought ; but 
there is another generalization of which we hear little 
talk, a generalization far grander because in a higher, 
viz., a moral field; a generalization not reached by 
human thought, but freely given by Divine revelation ; 
a generalization not expressed in a scientific formula, 
but enunciated in simple language by Divine lips. Let 
us trace the process and the stages here' also. 

Human duties or moral acts, like natural phenom- 
ena, are infinitely numerous and infinitely varied, ever 
changing with changing conditions. These are in the 
domain of the sensuous and phenomenal; they are 
not the subject but only the materials of philosophy. 
The first step in reason and philosophy, the first gen- 
eralization, is grouping these under law T s — laws of 
church, laws of state, laws or customs of society. The 
next step is, again, grouping these under, or tracing 
these up to, ten grand moral principles. These are 
the ten commandments, from which, we all admit, flow 
all lower laws and duties. This was the generaliza- 
tion of the old dispensation, the Mosaic generaliza- 
tion, the grandeur of which it is difficult for us now to 
appreciate. For a long time the process of generali* 



154 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

zation again paused just here, until the coming of the 
Divine Master. Then these, again, by a higher gen- 
eralization, are traced up to two grand principles, love 
to God and love to man ; and these are but two forms 
of one, viz., love, and God is love. And thus we are 
carried again up to God himself, the last term of human 
thought. 

Observe again : In external Nature all laws and all 
forces are but modes of the same omnipresent Divine 
energy; the form or mode varying according to the 
varying conditions under which the one energy operates. 
So, also, in moral Nature, all moral principles, all 
laws of church, of state, or society, in so far as they 
are true principles and laws, are but different modes of 
the one omnipresent Divine moral energy, love ; the 
forms and modes varying according to the conditions 
under which the one energy operates. Such being the 
absolute unity of the physical forces of Nature, do you 
not perceive that it is impossible to destroy one force 
without destroying all ? for all are different forms of the 
same; it is impossible to abrogate one law without 
destroying the whole system of laws. To break one 
law, is to break all ; to keep one, is to keep all. So 
also is it in the moral world, and for the same reason : 
" He who offends in one point is guilty of the whole." 
To break one law, is to break all ; to keep one, is to 
keep all, because all are one. Keeping or breaking any 
law is fulfilling or violating the one universal law of 
love. 

I recollect once hearing a pure-minded young lady 
say that she thought there was at least one command* 
ment which she was unconscious of ever having broken 



LOVE. 155 

In some surprise I asked which it was. She answered, 
The third : " ' Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 
thy God in vain.' " I believe many persons think they 
never break that law. On the contrary, we all fail to 
keep this law. To keep this law is to keep all the 
Divine laws. In its deep spiritual meaning, what is the 
third commandment ? It is to rise to a just conception 
of Deity, and then to give all the honor and reverence 
due to that conception. Any thing short of this fails 
to fulfill the law of love and reverence embodied in the 
third commandment. 

Finally, let me draw your attention to the contrary 
process of Divine and human activity — Divine activity 
in revealing himself to man ; and human activity in up- 
reaching and apprehending Deity. Deity flows down- 
ward into Nature first as the one omnipresent energy / 
but this is far above the reach of man. He then comes 
lower and nearer the apprehension of man by separat- 
ing into the great principles or forces of Nature ; then, 
again, these reveal themselves, and He through them 
reveals himself, and comes nearer the apprehension of 
man, in the laws which flow from these forces, and so 
on until the last ramifications as phenomena reach and 
fix themselves in the sensuous nature of man. 

Man, on the contrary, commencing with these ex- 
treme ramifications, by a reverse process passes upward 
in thought, from phenomena to laws, from laws to 
forces, from forces to the one omnipresent energy, and 
so back again to God himself. 

So also is it in the moral world. Deity flows down- 
ward into the heart of man, and reveals himself there 
as the universal energy, love. But, alas ! how little 



156 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

understood ! It must come far lower and become far 
more manifold and concrete, before man can take bold 
and climb up. It divides, then, into two great princi- 
ples — love to God and love to man — again into ten 
great moral principles, and again into laws religious, 
political, and social, and so downward into the daily 
duties of life which flow from these laws. This is the 
natural law of revelation whether in the physical or 
the moral world — whether in external Nature or in the 
heart of man. Scriptural revelation is rather a Divine 
help to the human process. This human process is 
similar to what I have already described. Man, in 
thought, passes from daily duties to laws, then traces 
these laws to fewer moral principles, and these upward 
into the one general principle of love, and thus back 
again to God. 

The same two processes may be again otherwise 
illustrated : The essential nature of Deity — the abso- 
lute, the unconditioned — in the first step downward in 
the flow of revelation toward man, reveals itself in 
what we call the essential attributes. Downward again 
it flows, becoming more human, and nearer to the com- 
prehension of man, and reveals itself in the moral at- 
tributes. Still downward it flows manward, and re- 
veals itself in the individual, providential acts of Deity. 
Human thought, on the other hand, by a reverse pro- 
cess, ascends from Divine acts to moral attributes, from 
these to essential attributes, from these again to the 
absolute, the unconditioned. 

Thus, you perceive that the Divine activity in self- 
revelation is descensive, down-reaching toward man ; 
while human activity, in apprehending, is up-reaching 






LOVE. 157 

and ascensive. Again, the law of Divine self-revealing 
is not only descensive, but proceeds by successive rami- 
fication^ successive differentiation, until the last rami- 
fications take firm hold of and are deeply embedded in 
the sensuous nature of man ; while human activity, in 
apprehending Deity, takes hold of these last ramifica- 
tions, and ascends by an inverse process of successive 
integration and unification, until it reaches the con- 
ception and the worship of the absolute unity of Deity. 



LECTURE X. 



HOLINESS. 



My Christian Friends : I approach, not only -with 
reluctance, but even with fear, the subject of my even- 
ing's lecture, the Divine Soilness. There is no attri- 
bute of the Divine nature which should so affect us 
with deep humility — none before which our pride and 
self-sufficiency should so fall prostrate with face in the 
dust — none which seems to show between Him and us 
so impassable a gulf, as this of holiness. There is none, 
therefore, which seems to us so awful, but which is at 
the same time so glorious as this. There is none 
which is so frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, 
and in such sublime and glowing language, and which 
is so closely connected there with the Divine glory. 
In the grand language of Moses : " Who is like unto 
thee, O Lord ? glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, 
doing wonders." Isaiah, in still more sublime and 
glowing language, represents the seraphim in his pres- 
ence as covering their faces and crying one to another : 
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole 
earth is full of his glory" 

Shall I call this an attribute, then ? Is it not rather 
the glorious combination of all his attributes into one 



HOLINESS, 159 

perfect whole ? As all his attributes proceed from the 
absolute, so all again converge and meet in holiness. 
As from the insufferable white light of the Absolute 
the j all seem to diverge and separate into prismatic 
hues, so they all seem again to converge and meet and 
combine in the dazzling white radiance of his holiness. 
This, therefore,, is rather the intense whiteness, purity, 
clearness, the infinite lustre and splendor of his perfect 
nature — like a gem without flaw, without stain, and 
without color. All of his attributes are glorious, but 
in this we have a combination of all into a still more 
glorious whole. It is for this reason that it is so fre- 
quently in Scripture associated with the Divine beauty. 
The poetic nature of the Psalmist is exalted to ecstasy 
in contemplation of the "beauty of holiness" the 
" beauty of the Lord" Beauty is a combination of 
elements according to the laws of harmony ; the more 
beautiful the parts or elements, and the more perfect 
the harmonious, combination, the higher the beauty. 
How high and glorious, therefore, must be the beauty 
of this attribute which is the perfect combination of all 
his infinite perfections! 

You see, then, why this attribute is awful to us. 
In the ideal man all the faculties and powers, mental, 
moral, and bodily, work together in perfect harmony, 
making sweet music — the image of God is clear and 
pure in the human heart. But, alas ! how far are we 
from this ideal ! In the actual man the purity is 
stained, the beauty is defaced, the harmony is changed 
into jarring discord, " like sweet bells jangled out of 
tune." How it came so, we are not now inquiring. 
We all feel that it is so. Therefore is this attribute 



160 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

awful to us. It is the awfulness of absolute purity in 
the presence of impurity ; it is the awfulness of perfect 
beauty in the presence of deformity ; it is the awful- 
ness of honor in the presence of dishonor and shame ; 
in one word, it is the awfulness of holiness in the 
presence of sinfulness. How, then, shall we approach 
Him before whom angels bow and archangels veil their 
faces — Him in whose sight the white radiance of 
heaven itself is stained with impurity ? 

Is this glorious attribute also revealed in physical, 
material Nature ? Yes, even this is revealed there ; 
but only as such an attribute can be revealed there — 
viz., by physical symbols. There is a deep correspond- 
ence between things spiritual and things physical, a 
correspondence necessarily flowing from the fact that 
the physical proceeds from, and therefore must be a 
revelation of, the Divine spiritual. Now, we have al- 
ready seen that holiness is the harmonious combination 
of all the Divine attributes into one perfect, beautiful 
whole. Evidently, therefore, the symbol, or corre- 
spondence, or revelation, of this must be found in the 
beauty and the harmony of the physical universe, a 
beauty and a harmony determined by perfect law. 

There is in all things physical and material an in- 
terior beauty inexpressible, ravishing; an interior 
beauty perceived only by the mind. It is the beauty 
of orderly arrangement — of perfect adjustment of every 
part to the whole, and of activity of the whole accord- 
ing to perfect law. This interior beauty is universal ; 
but it sometimes also emerges to the surface as glori- 
ous exterior, sensuous beauty, and then only does it 
produce its fullest effect upon the mind. The interior 



HOLINESS. 161 

beauty it is the province of science to discover y the ex- 
terior beauty, which is but the manifestation of the in- 
terior to the senses, it is the province of art to embody. 

Let me illustrate by some examples : We have 
several times spoken of the solar system with its won- 
derfully complex arrangement of parts, all moving in 
perfect harmony, each affected by each, and all con- 
trolled by the sun, the whole together constituting a 
harmony which affects the mind like deep divine music 
— a music, however, which is heard only by the atten- 
tive ejir of Science. Now, observe, that here the law 
is the law of gravitation, and the result is the exqui- 
site interior or intellectual beauty of activity, accord- 
ing to this law. 

Take another illustration : Under the influence of 
chemical and physical laws, the ultimate molecules of 
matter in solution are marshalled in perfect order, and 
arranged in the most exquisite symmetry, until finally 
this beautiful, orderly arrangement, according to perfect 
law, emerges on the surface in crystalline splendor, the 
sensible sign of the interior order. 

Take another illustration : In the animal body there 
are many organs, each having its diverse function, all 
cooperating together in the most perfect harmony to 
produce one result, which in this case is the life and 
health of the individual. Here, again, you observe, 
each part influences and is influenced by each, and all 
move together according to law, in this case the higher 
law of annmal life, and the result is perfect interior har- 
mony and order ; but, here again, also, this interior or- 
der emerges on the surface as animal beauty or the stil] 
higher and more glorious form of human beauty. 



162 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

So is it precisely in the moral and spiritual world. 
When the attributes, powers, and faculties of the mind 
and heart act together in perfect harmony, making 
sweet music, and all under one law, the law of love, 
the result is spiritual harmony, spiritual beauty, or 
holiness. Am I not right, then, in saying that the 
Divine holiness is everywhere revealed in external 
Nature ? 

But, is this Divine attribute revealed also in human 
nature ? Alas ! of all the Divine attributes this cer- 
tainly is the most imperfectly revealed there, if %ideed 
it exist there naturally at all. Man is made in the 
image of God, and therefore there is certainly much 
that is good in the human heart ; yes, truth and love, 
and justice and wisdom are there, and these are all 
good in so far as they are like the Divine original ; but 
the harmonious combination of these into spiritual 
beauty — alas ! this it is which is wanting. The sensu- 
ous nature, the moral nature, and the intellectual na- 
ture of man, with their several powers, each good in 
its place, are in discord with one another. The feat- 
ures of the Divine image, imperfect though they be, 
are all there; but the due relation of these to one 
another, the Divine expression, the beauty, is wanting ; 
every note of the gamut is there, and each note may 
even produce sweet sounds, but they do not combine 
into melody ; the bells are each of them sweet, but they 
are " jangled out of tune." It is this discord among 
the faculties and powers of the heart and mind, and 
more particularly the subordination of the higher and 
spiritual to the lower and sensuous — it is this which we 
call sinfulness. Am I not right, then, in saying that 



HOLINESS. 163 

this attribute is not found in the human heart, and is 
its great want. So, utter is its absence, or at least so 
very dim is its presence there, that even the symbols 
of holiness which we find in Nature are not readily rec 
ognized or interpreted as such by man. To the Script- 
ures, therefore, must we go for an adequate revelation 
of this attribute, and there indeed, and there only, do 
we find it clearly and fully revealed. 

Now, let me draw your attention to a remarkable 
fact. In other pretended revelations, we find Deity 
represented as powerful, and, to some extent, in an im- 
perfect, human way, as just, as true, as wise, as good / 
but where do we find Him represented as holy ? A 
holy God is found nowhere except in Scripture. And 
the reason is plain. Other attributes of Deity we find, 
at least in some imperfect way, in the human heart. 
Out of these elements found in his own heart man may 
construct an object of worship and call it God. He 
cannot, however, do more than idealize and project out- 
ward what he finds within. But the beauty of holi- 
ness is not there, and therefore he cannot project it out- 
ward as an attribute of Deity. In the Scriptures alone 
do we find a holy God : therefore is He spoken of in 
the Old Testament as the Holy One of Israel, be- 
cause a Holy One was not known in any other nation. 
Is not this, then, a powerful argument for the inspiration 
of these Scriptures? 

Once revealed, however, even holiness may be ap- 
preciated by the human mind, and for this reason : The 
image of Deity in the human heart may be, and is in- 
deed, defaced and its perfect beauty destroyed ; but it 
is not so utterly eradicated but that its true beauty 



IG4 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

may be dimly recognized when once it is pointed out 
and explained : the harmony may be gone, but neverthe- 
less, deep in the innermost recesses of the heart there 
lurks a dim reminiscence of its lost beauty or a dim per- 
ception of its ideal beauty yet to be realized, take it 
either way you like. Holiness is like a forgotten strain 
of music, still lurking unknown and unrecognized in 
the memory : strike one chord, and the whole may 
be dimly brought back to the mind. This chord is 
struck by the Scriptuies. The true nature of holiness, 
once understood by the intellect, and what a glory and 
a lustre it sheds upon the whole moral and physical 
world ! what a glory is there then in the nature of Deity ! 
what a nobleness and dignity in the true nature of 
man ! What a splendor even in the physical universe, 
as the symbol and revelation of Deity ! Holiness once 
appropriated and possessed as an attribute of our na- 
ture, and what words can adequately express the glory 
of the change ? It is a new heart, a new life, a new 
spirit, a new birth. 

If, then, holiness is the beauty and perfection of the 
Divine nature, surely it is also the beauty and perfec- 
tion of human nature. Now, we have seen that the 
whole work of man on this earth is to restore or per- 
fect the Divine image in the nature of man, in the rea- 
son of man as truth, in the heart of man as love. Now, 
it is the harmonious combination of all these Divine 
features that constitutes the beauty of the Divine image 
or holiness in man. Holiness, therefore, is the true end 
of human life and every other is false. 

My friends, I have tried to show you the exceeding 
beauty of holiness. Shall I now turn the other side of 



HOLINESS, 165 

fchis picture ? Shall I show you in contrast the exceed- 
ing ugliness of its opposite, sinfulness f If holiness is 
perfect law and order, then is sinfulness lawlessness 
and anarchy / if holiness is perfect harmony, then sin- 
fulness is perfect discord ; if holiness is spiritual beau- 
ty, then sinfulness is spiritual deformity / if the one is 
purity, and lustre, and life, and health, then is the oth- 
er foulness, and blackness, and spiritual death, and cor- 
ruption. If this be indeed the true nature of sin, is it 
at all strange that the Deity is represented everywhere 
in Scripture as being affected in its presence only with 
infinite abhorrence, detestation, and loathing ? Is it 
not natural ? Is it not necessary ? Is it not so with 
ourselves in a lower sphere ? I think I can show that 
it is so with ourselves in the lower sphere of sense. 

Our spiritual perceptions, and therefore our admira- 
tion of spiritual beauty and our abhorrence of spiritual 
deformity, are so feeble that we are compelled to illus- 
trate these by means of physical symbols. What, then, 
is the symbol, the correspondence, in this lower sensu- 
ous sphere of sin ? I have already said — and the Script- 
ures constantly use the same symbols — it is impurity, 
death, corruption. I wish to show that these are true 
symbols, and that the very abhorrence which we all feel 
for impurity and corruption is evidence of an instinc- 
tive recoil of our higher nature from unholiness. 

I have mentioned above the two principal symbols 
of sin, viz., impurity, or filth, and death, or corruption. 
Now, impurity, in its simplest form, is nothing more 
than a heterogeneous mixture of discordant elements 
without law. Things in themselves good, and, under 
law, even beautiful, when in lawless strife with one 



1G6 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

another, affect us only with disgust. For instance, the 
commonest example of filth is perhaps the mud of a 
populous town. What is it composed of? 8a?id and 
clay, and coal-dust and water, mashed and trampled to- 
gether without order. Take each of these separately 
— coal-dust, or carbon, under the influence of pure laws 
produces the most exquisite and beautiful of gems, the 
diamond. Sand, or silica, by itself and under the in- 
fluence of perfect law, also produces crystalline beauty 
of the highest order. Clay also crystallizes under law 
in a similar perfect manner; while water by itself, 
whether liquid or in the form of snow and ice, is the 
very symbol of purity and beauty. Yet these, each of 
them so beautiful and pure in itself and under law, in 
helpless strife, and anarchy, and confusion, affect us 
only with disgust. For we instinctively recognize it 
as the symbol of the spiritual confusion of our own 
nature. Our faculties and powers, too, of soul, body } 
and mind, are each good in their place and under law, 
Dut in helpless strife and confusion they make spiritual 
impurity, uncleanness, sin. 

But the strongest and the truest symbol of sin, the 
truest because the strongest (for it is impossible to find 
any symbol strong enough), is death and corruption — 
death of an organism and putrescence of organic mat 
ter. How we turn away from this with disgust and 
horror ! But why ? Let us analyze the feeling a little. 
Certain elements, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitro- 
gen, under the influence of pure physical and chemical 
laws, may unite in perfect order, and this interior 
order may emerge on the surface in crystalline beauty, 
producing in us only delight. Again: the same elc- 



HOLINESS. 167 

merits, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, under the 
direction of a higher law, the law of life — a higher law 
subordinating to itself and using for its own purposes 
the lower law of chemistry and physics — may combine 
again in far more complex order to form still higher 
interior beauty, emerging on the surface in still higher 
forms of sensuous beauty, the beauty of organic forms, 
and giving us still higher delight. But that these same 
elements, after they have been combined to form or- 
ganic matter, after having been the habitation of life, 
after having been governed by the higher law of life 
and fashioned into higher forms of organic beauty ; that 
they should then be dragged downward and given up 
to the lower law of chemistry and physics — that which 
was intended for the higher law, to be given up to the 
lower law — this is death, this is corruption, putres- 
cence; this affects us only with extremest disgust. 

So is it also in the moral and spiritual world. Ani- 
mal life, under the simple and pure lower law of animal 
life, is beautiful, and affects us only with delight. Also 
the higher moral and spiritual life, subordinating and 
using for its own noble purposes the lower animal and 
sensuous life, so that all work together in harmony 
according to the higher spiritual and moral law — this 
is a higher beauty, it is spiritual beauty, it is holiness ; 
this affects us with an infinitely higher delight. But, 
that what was intended for the higher law, and is 
capable of attaining the more glorious spiritual beau- 
ty — that this should be dragged down and given up 
to the lower law of sense, is not this a more dreadful 
death and a more horrible corruption and putrescence ? 

Now, this is the essence of sinfulness. Sin is liter- 



168 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

ally what the Scriptures call it — spiritual death. For, 
as death is the giving up of what was organized for the 
higher law of life to the lower law of chemistry and 
physics, so sin is the giving up of what was made for 
the higher law of spirit to the lower law of sense. If 
we do not regard this with infinite abhorrence, it is 
because we so dimly feel the reality of our higher 
spiritual life. Indeed, from the Divine point of view, 
or even from the highest philosophic point of view, 
there is no other real death and corruption but this. 
All others are only so from our limited, sensuous point 
of view ; all others are only symbols of this dreadful 
reality. All others, from the highest point of view, are 
beneficent, are in harmony with the grand whole, and 
work out the Divine ends. But this is discord, the 
only real discord in the universe. The universe was 
made for spiritual ends, to find its term in spiritual 
life. Death and corruption here are death and corrup- 
tion indeed. 

Now, if such as I have described be the nature of 
sin, and such, therefore, the Divine abhorrence of sin, 
then, how absolutely necessary must be holiness to us, 
if we seek his favor ! " Without holiness it is impos- 
sible to please God." Without holiness it is impossible 
to see God; for, "blessed are the pure in heart, for 
they shall see God ; " not see Him with bodily eyes, in- 
deed, but become partakers of his nature ; not see Him 
hereafter, at another time, in another world only, but 
now, here, in this world, and we hope more gloriously 
hereafter. " Sanctify your souls as a temple," says 
Madame de Stael, " and the angel of noble thoughts 
will not disdain to appear in it." Surely a noble sen- 



HOLINESS. 169 

timent, beautifully expressed. But how much more 
glorious are the promises of Scripture ! Sanctify your 
hearts as a temple, and the Holy Spirit of God will not 
disdain to take up his abode there. 

Man, as I have already said — and as I will still, in 
the course of these lectures, continue to say, because it 
is the very significance of human life — man is made in 
the image of God. The image may have lost its beau- 
ty, but the features are still visible. Wisdom, and truth, 
and honor, and love, like unto God's, still remain. What- 
ever in man bear these names, but are not in the Divine 
image, are mere shams. All that is good and true in 
man is in the Divine image; all else is false, mere 
semblances. Now, the harmonious combination of all 
these features into beauty, into a beautiful object of 
contemplation, as a passive state of the spirit is holi- 
ness, or spiritual beauty, the same combination of all 
these, working actively and harmoniously together, is 
spiritual life, or holy living. It evidently follows, there- 
fore, that human life is true and real only in proportion 
as it is an image of, and is in harmony with, the Divine 
life ; all other life is only apparent, a mere semblance, 
of life which is no life. Union with Him is spiritual 
life ; separation from Him is spiritual death, not here- 
after only, but now. There is, then, an apparent life 
which is only death : it is the use of the higher powers 
and faculties of mind and heart for purely worldly and 
sensuous purposes, the subordination of the higher to 
the lower nature. This is a semblance of life, but not 
a true human life. There may be in the lower king- 
doms of animals and vegetables also a semblance of 
life which is really death. The branch severed from 



i 



110 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

the trunk retains its greenness and its freshness for a 
little while, but its real life is gone, and it, therefore, 
quickly withers away. A limb severed from the animal 
body retains a little while its beautiful proportions, and 
may even show, under the influence of appropriate 
stimulants, some signs of a kind of life, but quickly 
falls into corruption. The human body itself, recently 
dead, may be galvanized into a horrible, ghastly sem- 
blance of life, but quickly falls into corruption. So, 
also, in the spiritual world, there is a semblance of life 
which is no life. The powers of the dead soul may be 
galvanized by unholy energy into a semblance of life — 
a sensuous, worldly life — but quickly stiffen into spir- 
itual death which cannot be mistaken. 

Finally, holiness is therefore the real and only end 
of life. It is the only real spiritual life, and therefore 
the only real happiness, the only true blessedness. 
There is a dim, instinctive perception of this by every 
human heart, and it is for this reason that all merely 
worldly objects are, and must forever be, unsatisfying; 
that a life terminating in worldly and sensuous ends 
must ever be restless and miserable. How sad is the 
history of the vain chase after happiness ! In our early, 
enthusiastic youth we commence life with the deter- 
mination to possess real happiness. In the object 
which we see yonder, we think we shall find it. We 
start with all our energy in the pursuit, but, when we 
grasp it, it turns to ashes in our hand. We conclude 
we have mistaken the object. Surely, yonder, we shall 
find happiness. We start again in pursuit, we grasp 
it ; alas ! it again turns to ashes in the hand. But our 
objects, we now think, have been too low, we must get 



HOLINESS. 171 

higher to find happiness. " On yonder eminence surely 
I shall find happiness." We run, we climb, we strug- 
gle onward and upward ; and, when we have attained 
the eminence, we are again disappointed. But, see 
yonder, a still higher eminence, shining bright and 
pure in the upper air. Surely that is the home of 
happiness. Again we start with unabated ardor, but, 
when we reach it, it is only to find our old pain and 
disappointment. Finally, when our youthful ardor has 
abated, and we arrive at the fullness of mature man- 
hood, we check a little our eager pursuit, we take coun- 
sel with ourselves, and review our past life so full of 
disappointment, if possible to make for ourselves 
some rational philosophy of life which shall guide us. 
And what is the result ? Alas ! some find, in per- 
feet indifference, the true rational philosophy — all 
our noble aspirations are a delusion. This is the 
philosophy of the worldly wise. Others of more ardent 
nature find true happiness and rational philosophy in 
eternal pursuit / it is not the object attained, they think, 
but the activity and exercise of the chase, which is the 
chief good of man. This is the error which we have 
already exposed in our eighth lecture — the error of the 
metaphysician and the sentimentalist. Still others 
come to the conclusion that blessedness is not of this 
world, but we shall find it hereafter in another world. 
Miserable delusion again ! If it is ever gotten at all, it 
must be by means which are usable for that purpose 
here in this world. 

Thus man, child of eternity, driven out from his 
native home, surrounded on every side by his heavenly 
heritage, the Divine holiness, which yet his trembling 



172 RELIGION ANi> SCIENCE. 

hands refuse to grasp, wanders with fugitive and un- 
certain steps over this earthly waste ; striving ever to 
build himself a permanent dwelling-place, but happily 
ever reminded, by the speedy downfall of each succes- 
sive habitation, that he can never find any peace except 
in his Father's house. 

Thus, my friends, you observe, the only real life and 
the only real blessedness is holiness. The real life is 
not only blessed, it is blessedness itself; while the ap- 
parent, worldly, sensuous life is not only unblessed, it 
is unblessedness itself. 



LECTURE XI. 



FREEDOM. 



My Christian Friends : the subject of my lecture 
this evening is the "nature of true freedom" 

Perhaps some of you may think that this subjec 
has little connection with the general character of this 
course of lectures. On the contrary, it has the closest 
connection ; in fact, it naturally and inevitably flows 
out of my last two lectures. You will remember that, 
in the first of those two, I tried to show that love in 
man is the fulfilling of the whole law, the law of God, 
and of our spiritual nature, that it not only fulfills, but 
is the law of our spiritual nature ; while in the last I 
tried to show that love, when it accomplishes its per- 
fect work, results in holiness. Now, in this lecture, I 
wish to show that love and holiness work together to 
produce true spiritual freedom. Love, holiness, and 
freedom, are closely connected. Holiness is spiritual 
beauty, freedom is spiritual life. Holiness is equi- 
librium, beauteous adjustment, harmonious relation ; 
freedom is harmonious activity. Holiness is the con- 
dition of perfect humanity as an object of contempla* 
tion ; freedom is the same perfect humanity in vigor- 
ous activity. To use the language of mechanics, the 



174 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

philosophy of holiness is spiritual statics, the philosophy 
of freedom is spiritual dynamics. Thus, you will 
observe, holiness and freedom are not only closely 
related, they are, in fact, the same thing from different 
points of view. Holiness is the underlying condition, 
freedom, the active manifestation, while love is the 
motive force and the law determining both. Holiness 
is freedom in repose y freedom is holiness in action. 

If, then, holiness is freedom, it obviously follows 
that unholiness or sin is spiritual bondage, it is slavery. 
It is in this way that holiness and sin are always re- 
garded in the Scripture. The Divine Master says : 
"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make 
yoxxfree" Again He says: " If the Son shall make 
you free, ye shall he free indeed." St. Paul says : " Ye 
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into 
the glorious liberty of the children of God;" and 
again : " Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is lib- 
erty." 

Liberty ! Freedom ! Ah, my friends, how the 
blood warms and the heart throbs at the very sound 
of these words ! We all feel, and, in proportion to the 
nobleness of our aspirations, do we deeply feel that this 
is indeed the goal of all generous human strivings. 
Yes, the goal of all our individual strivings is the indi- 
vidual or the interior freedom ; the goal of all our social 
strivings, the strivings of humanity, is the social or the 
exterior freedom. This has been dimly seen by philos- 
ophers of all ages. According to Aristotle, the goal 
or end of humanity is virtue ; according to Plato, it is 
spiritual beauty or harmony among the faculties. 
Fichte makes the goal of humanity, the life according 



FREEDOM. 175 

to reason ; Hegel makes it freedom. They are all right. 
These expressions contain all the same truth, viewed 
from different points — they are all partial views of the 
same glorious truth. But in Scripture alone do we find 
the whole truth told. In Scripture alone we find the 
way and the law and the underlying condition fully 
revealed. The way is the path of duty, the motive 
force and the law is the law of love, and the underlying 
condition is holiness. From the Scripture point of view, 
therefore, he who conscientiously pursues the path of 
duty, and lives according to the law of love, and thereby 
attains holiness, he and he alone possesses true free- 
dom ; in other words, the sincere Christian is the only 
true freeman. 

But, alas ! how entirely different from this is the 
ordinary notion of freedom ! How much crime, how 
much anarchy and confusion, how much war and strife, 
yea, how much oppression, and tyranny, and slavery, 
have been enacted in the sacred name of freedom ! So 
entirely different is the usual conception of freedom 
from that given in Scripture, that even religious men 
seem to think that the freedom spoken of in the texts 
quoted above is something quite different from, and 
having no connection with, the freedom after which all 
generous natures strive. And the irreligious and 
worldly even regard the spirit of Christianity as an- 
tagonistic to the spirit of freedom. To them religion 
is bondage, and unbelief and lawlessness and Heaven- 
defiance is freedom ; to them lawless thinking is free- 
thinking, and lawless acting is free activity. But the 
Scriptures are right. Holiness is the only true interior 
freedom; and the only true exterior freedom is that 



176 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

which is based upon the interior and modeled accord- 
ing to the same law. 

There is, then, evidently a true idea of freedom, and 
a false idea of freedom. As there is a true direction 
and a false direction of human activity ; x as there is a 
true spiritual life, and a false or worldly life, which is 
no life, but in fact death ; ~ so, also, there is a true idea 
of freedom, and a false, worldly, sensuous idea of free- 
dom, which is no freedom, but is in fact anarchy, and 
confusion, and slavery. And as the true in every one 
of these cases is based upon the law of love, so the false 
in every one is based upon the law of selfism. Let us, 
then, attempt to show the distinction between the true 
Scriptural idea and the false, worldly idea of freedom. 
We will speak first of that freedom which is, perhaps, 
best understood, and which is certainly most sought 
after, viz., the exterior or social freedom, or freedom in 
the relations of moral beings to one another. 

Freedom may be defined as unrestrained activity. 
Yes, freedom is indeed unrestrained activity, but the 
converse is not necessarily true ; it is not true that un- 
restrained activity, as usually understood, is freedom. 
Yet it is this converse proposition which contains the 
ordinary notion of freedom. To most persons, I think, 
freedom is synonymous with independence. It is the 
doing as one likes ; it is the absence of all law, of all S 
subjection, of all subordination to, or dependence upon, j 
another. And, of course, since this is impossible for^ 
all, unless all are exactly alike, it involves the idea of 
absolute equality. Now, so far from this idea being 
true, there can be no doubt that perfect freedom is 

1 Lecture YIIL, p. 1S2, ct scg. 9 Lecture X., pp. 169, 170. 



FREEDOM, 177 

quite consistent with perfect subordination ; and, on 
the other hand, self-assertion, assertion of indepen- 
dence, is often the necessary and legitimate cause of 
slavery and bondage. 

Let me explain : Man exists and can exist only in 
relations. He exists and can exist only under law and 
under government — family government, political gov- 
ernment, and Divine government. He is bounded, 
limited, and conditioned, on every side — conditioned 
by his finite faculties, conditioned by his material 
nature, conditioned by his relations to other moral 
beings. It is evident, therefore, that independence is 
impossible for him. Freedom, therefore, if this be the 
goal of humanity, cannot consist in independence. It 
must consist in the loving recognition of the limits and 
conditions which surround him on every side. If, then, 
the loving recognition of these is freedom, the angry 
chafing against them must be bondage and imprison- 
ment. Therefore we may again define freedom, more 
definitely, as unrestrained activity within the bounds 
of just law and rightful authority. 

I think that most intelligent persons will accept 
this as a proper definition of such freedom as is possi- 
ble for man ; but I think, also, that almost all persons 
look upon the exterior law as not only limiting the 
area, but decreasing the amount and destroying the 
completeness of liberty. Most persons, I think, regard 
society and government as restraining and diminishing 
the natural freedom. Such persons, it seems to me, 
have not the true idea of freedom. On the contrary, 
social organization and exterior law is a necessary con- 
dition of freedom; and under these conditions, too, 



US RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

freedom may be perfect. For if the reason understands 
and approves, and the will accepts, and the heart moves 
in perfect accordance with the exterior law, then one 
law pervades the whole and the part, the community 
and the individual ; and perfect, unrestrained activity, 
or freedom, is the result. "We may, therefore, define 
freedom again still more definitely as the harmony 
between the interior and the exterior law. This, I be- 
lieve, is a true philosophical definition of freedom. 
Now, this harmony of the interior with the exterior 
law cannot be reached except by love. Love is free- 
dom ; selfism is bondage. 

Let me bring out more clearly the true idea of free- 
dom by means of some illustrations taken from Nature. 
I will again take first the solar system. Here we have 
the central sun surrounded by planets of various sizes 
and powers, and these again similarly by satellites, all 
moving together in perfect concord. No independence 
here, surely; on the contrary, each influences each. No 
equality here, for some are primaries and some sec- 
ondaries, and all controlled by the central sun. Yet, 
they all move together in perfect harmony, according 
to one law, the law of their being, which, in this case, 
is the law of gravity. The law of the whole, observe, 
is also the law of each part. Now, the perfect adjust- 
ment of parts, the perfect equilibrium, the beautiful 
order, this is the symbol of holiness / while the har- 
monious activity of the whole, according to one law, this 
is the symbol of freedom. 

Again, take the case of the human body. Here we 
have many organs, each having its separate functions, 
all cooperating together to produce one result, which 



FREEDOM, 179 

is the life of the individual. Here, again, there is no 
independence, no equality, in the ordinary sense of that 
term ; but each influencing and influenced by each, 
each sympathizing with each, each helping each, and 
all controlled by one, viz., the brain, but moving to- 
gether in perfect harmony according to one law, the 
law of their being, in this case a higher law, the law 
of life, and producing a higher order of beauty, and a 
higher kind of activity, approaching more nearly to the 
holiness and freedom which they symbolize. Observe, 
in this case law is not an external restraint, it is a rule 
of free, spontaneous activity. The law of each part 
(interior law) is also the law of the whole (exterior 
law). The harmonious relation of parts — in other 
words, health — is the symbol of holiness, and healthy 
activity is the symbol of freedom. 

So also is it in the higher sphere of social life — in 
the organization of moral beings into a social body, or 
body politic. In the body politic also we have many 
organs, or corporations, each performing its several 
functions, and, in the perfect condition of society, all 
working in entire harmony together to produce one 
common result- — viz., the life and development of so- 
ciety. Here, again, no independence is possible, but 
each moves in its appropriate sphere, be it higher or 
lower, with mutual sympathy and mutual help, and in 
perfect harmony, according to a still higher law — the 
law of social being, the law of love — and producing 
still higher beauty (holiness), and still higher life (free- 
dom). 

Observe, however, an important difference in this 
case as compared with the previous ones. In all the 



V 



180 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

previous cases the harmony is preestablished, prede- 
termined ; in this the harmony is self-determined by 
the free will. This is the very essence of moral free- 
dom, of true spiritual freedom. The reason must ap- 
prove the law, the will must freely accept the law, and 
the heart beat in unison with the law ; so that law be- 
comes no longer an external restraint, but a rule of free 
activity. Or, to express it differently, in all the illustra- 
tions taken from the material world, the law, the beau- 
\ tiful order, the harmonious activity, is not ours, it is 
' God's — it is determined by the laws of Nature ; but in 
the moral world, though the law be still God's, it is 
his in order to become ours, by our own free choice. 

The perfect ideal of freedom, therefore, includes, 
first, the interior freedom — i. e., perfect harmony 
among all the faculties of the mind and the affections 
of the heart. This, from the physiological point of 
view, makes the healthy spirit, from the Scriptural 
point of view, the holy man, and therefore the free 
man. Second, the ideal of freedom includes also the ex- 
terior freedom — i. e., the perfect harmony between the 
interior and the exterior law, and of both with the law 
j of God. So that the one law pervades and animates 
\ the whole, and law becomes no longer an external 
restraint, but only a rule of free activity, unwritten 
\ except in the heart.. This, from the physiological point 
i of view, is a living healthy society j from the Scrip t- 
1 ural point of view, is a holy people, a free people. 
\^ Of course, this perfect ideal is unattainable in this 
world. The highest practical ideal, the highest ideal 
which we actually propose to ourselves in this world, is 
perfect obedience to just law, to law exterior, written, 



FREEDOM. 181 

restraining. In this ideal the law is approved by 
the reason, accepted by the will, and the more or less 
rebellious heart and the life, by the mere force of 
the will, is brought into accordance with the law. 
This is organization of society on the law of duty, 
not the law of love. But the law of duty is, in some 
sense, tKe law of force y not exterior force, it is true, 
but interior force, the force of our own will. Even this, 
therefore, is not perfect freedom. 

If, then, obedience to just and wise law is freedom 
and social life and health, revolt or resistance to just 
law is bondage, or else, far worse, anarchy ; is social 
disease, or else social death ; in a word, although we 
may call it by another name, is slavery ', or else utter 
confusion ; slavery, however, not by subjection, not by 
subordination, not by dependence; but by resistance, 
by self-assertion, by assertion of independence — bond- 
age by the operation of violated law. So, then, there 
is a slavery which comes of resistance and revolt. 

Let me illustrate this fact, so necessary to the true 
conception of freedom. We will take for this purpose 
the case of family government, the most perfect gov- 
ernment on the face of the earth, most perfect because 
simplest, and because more than any other its law is 
the law of love. In the perfect family government, 
where love reigns supreme, although authority on the 
part of the parent, and subordination on the part of 
the children, may be complete, yet is freedom absolute- 
ly perfect, for every thing moves in harmony, accord- 
ing to the law of love. In the well-conducted family 
government there is the most perfect freedom which 
our humanity ever reaches in this world. How, then, 



182 RELIGION AND SCIENCE, 

is freedom destroyed in this government ? Either by 
abuse of authority on the one hand, or by resistance to 
rightful authority on the other. Either of these in- 
stantly brings discord between the interior and the 
exterior law, and discord is slavery; either of these 
violates the law of love and obeys the law of selfism, 
and selfism is slavery. 

Slavery, then, may come in two ways, either by the 
abuse of authority, or by resistance to just law and 
rightful authority. In the one case it is slavery 
through tyranny and unjust law, in the other it is sla- 
very through self-assertion and the operation of just 
law violated; in the one case the exterior law is in 
fault, in the other the interior law is in fault. 

But the usual idea of slavery includes only the 
former, viz., that by abuse of authority, whereas the 
bondage spoken of in Scripture is always the latter, 
viz., resistance to rightful authority, and hence the gen- 
eral misunderstanding of the nature of true Christian 
freedom. The reason of this limitation of the idea of 
freedom and slavery in the popular mind is sufficiently 
evident. From the beginning of history until now, 
slavery has come by abuse of authority. Society has 
suffered so long from abuse of power that all social 
evils are associated in our minds with the exercise of 
power, or authority of any kind. Thus it has come to 
pass that in the popular mind freedom is synonymous 
with resistance to authority, and slavery is synonymous 
with subjection, or obedience, to authority. 

It is easy to show that it could not have been 
otherwise. Let me explain myself: The goal of hu- 
manity is perfect intellectual, moral, and physical 



FREEDOM. 183 

culture. I have called this condition holiness. I have 
called it also interior freedom. But this glorious goal 
can only be reached through perfect social organiza- 
tion. But how shall we reach a perfect social organi- 
zation except by perfect culture ? It is the last term 
of human thought to understand, and of human art to 
achieve, a perfect social organization. You see, then, 
the dilemma in which the human race finds itself in 
this world. It must ever seek after its goal, viz., per- 
fect culture, or spiritual freedom ; it can only reach 
that goal by means of a perfect society, and yet that 
perfect society itself can only be reached through cult- 
ure. Now, how is this dilemma solved ? In the only 
way it could have been solved: by first adopting a 
provisional organization of any kind, it matters not 
what, as the necessary condition of culture, until at more 
leisure, and by culture thus attained, it can construct a 
more rational organization. Any organization, even the 
most oppressive, is better than anarchy, for anarchy is 
social death. Society is the necessary condition of 
even commencing culture and improvement; society 
was, therefore, first organized in the simplest and most 
obvious way — upon material distinctions, upon con- 
quest and force, upon birth, upon wealth. Under such 
unnatural social organization as the necessary prelimi- 
nary condition of culture, there was a gradual cultiva- 
tion of the human mind until it reached that point 
when social organization itself became the subject of 
thought. It now immediately became evident that the 
then existing social organizations were entirely un- 
suited to the condition of human culture — they were 
unnatural and, therefore, irrational and productive of 



184 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

slavery. Then commenced the process of revolt, of re- 
sistance, of tearing down the fabric of society, in order 
to clear the ground and recommence the construction 
of a new social organization. 

See, then, the difference in their very significance 
between the old and the new social organization, be- 
tween that from which we have emerged and that tow- 
ard which we all intensely yearn. The former is the 
condition and the agent of human culture, the latter is 
the expression of the perfected humanity ; the former 
is artificial, the latter is natural and rational ; the former 
is man's work, the latter is also man's work, but under 
the guidance of the Divine Spirit, for it is the outward 
form of the interior holiness and freedom ; the former 
is a house to protect our nakedness from the weather, 
the latter is a glorious temple wherein to worship God. 
But in these latter days we have torn down the old 
fabric, we have cleared the ground and have even 
gathered some materials for the new / but, alas ! how 
little do we yet understand of the scientific principles 
upon which a perfect free society must be constructed ! 

Let me again illustrate : The human race has been 
put upon this earth homeless and houseless. Its busi- 
ness here is to construct the glorious temple of liberty. 
But how can it, except by perfect culture, understand 
the principles of that glorious architecture? Culture 
requires time ; in the mean time it cannot live without 
a house. In this dilemma it hastily constructs a build- 
ing of some kind — any kind, to live in and as a means 
of culture, a school-house, not a temple. In this school- 
house it has lived and submitted to school-discipline, 
and received culture, until now it thinks it has reached 



FREEDOM, 185 

its majoritj*. Its school-days are over, and in its ex- 
uberant joy it not only rushes out and commences 
tearing down the old school-house, but seems to forget 
that there is any temple yet to be constructed. Liberty 
with these liberated pupils is living in open air, with- 
out any house at all. 

Thus it is in the present age. We have passed the 
period of pupilage, and attain ed the age of reason. 
We have torn down and are still tearing down the old 
society, with which is associated every form of restraint, 
of social evil and slavery; but how little we under- 
stand the new ! We have torn down the old school- 
house, associated only with restraining discipline ; but 
how few understand, or appreciate, the glorious beauty 
of the coming temple ! The present age is a transition 
between the old and the new ; the spirit of the age is, 
therefore, destructive rather than constructive. 

The usual idea of freedom, therefore, as I have al- 
ready said, is the right to do as one pleases ; it is the 
independence of everybody of everybody else ; and 
the idea of slavery is subjection to authority of any 
kind. The characteristic vice of the present age is 
this spirit of independence, of pride, of self-assertion. 
We would, every one of us, be as God, self-existing — 
unconditioned. We clamor for rights only, and for- 
get our duties ; we stand, every one of us, upon self- 
defense, and think nothing of mutual help. 

Now, this spirit is precisely the opposite of the true 
Christian spirit, as well as the true philosophic spirit, 
and, I may add, to the true spirit of freedom. The Script- 
ure everywhere insists upon duties rather than upon 
rights ; it insists everywhere upon mutual help rather 



[86 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

than upon self-defense. The true Christian spirit is a 
spirit of loving, helpful recognition of inferiority where 
inferiority exists, and a loving, reverent recognition of 
superiority where superiority exists. The usual idea 
of freedom, viz., its identification with independence, if 
pushed to to its logical conclusion, if carried out to its 
legitimate results, would destroy all moral relations and 
all forms of government, whether family, political, or 
Divine, and end in the simple anarchy of animal exist- 
ence. 

But let me not be misunderstood. Ko one can ap- 
preciate more than I do the immense service which this 
very spirit of independence has done, and perhaps is 
still doing, for the human race. The principal cause of 
slavery, in every age, has been the abuse of authority. 
The great danger in every government is the abuse of 
power for selfish ends. Any form of government, ad- 
ministered according to the law of love, will produce 
freedom ; but the law of selfism still reigns supreme in 
the human heart. The great practical problem to be 
solved in every social organization, therefore, is so to 
check and balance the different forms of power and au- 
thority that the danger of abuse is reduced to a mini- 
mum. This is the best freedom we can now hope for, 
while selfism reigns. But let us not deceive ourselves. 
This is not true freedom. It is a negative, not a posi- 
tive freedom ; it is the empty form, without the true 
spiritual substance ; it is based upon selfism — though 
shorn of its power for evil — not upon love ; it is the 
equilibrium of opposing evil forces, and therefore unsta- 
ble ; it is galvanized life, not real life. 

Again, I freely admit also that this very spirit of 



FREEDOM. 187 

independence, which in its evil excess is so opposite to 
the true Christian spirit and so dangerous to society, is 
nevertheless born of Christianity. It is the legiti- 
mate offspring of the life and immortality brought to 
light by Christ. Until that time the individual man 
was entirely subordinate to society, his whole signifi- 
cance and value was as an integral element of society. 
But, from the Christian point of view, the value of the 
immortal soul is simply incalculable. Society is tem- 
porary, and belongs to this world ; the soul is immortal, 
and belongs to the world eternal. Therefore, man is 
not made for society, but society is made for man. 
This spirit of independence, therefore, is good in so far 
as it asserts the dignity of the human soul ; it is bad in 
so far as it violates the law of love. Our poor human 
nature has been likened to " a drunken peasant trying 
to ride on horseback. It climbs up on one side, only 
to fall over on the other." It is almost impossible to 
get a good without a corresponding evil. It is difficult 
to find strength and dignity without something of self- 
assertion and pride. It is rare to find humility with- 
out something of weakness, and even perhaps of mean- 
spiritedness. It is difficult to find zeal without also 
bigotry, or liberality and toleration without also reli- 
gious indifference. Hence these opposites are con- 
stantly confounded with one another in the popular 
mind. Everywhere we find tares have been sown 
among the wheat. " An enemy hath done this." But 
what saith the Master ? " Let them grow together until 
the harvest, lest while ye pull up the tares ye pull up 
the wheat also." 

Having thus spoken somewhat fully of the exterior 



188 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

freedom, we now return to that upon which the exte- 
rior is based, viz., the interior or spiritual freedom. 

Human government may be resisted ; sometimes it 
ought to be resisted. The laws may be oppressive and 
unjust, made for one or for few and not for all, and 
thus may create slavery by abuse of authority. In the 
discord between the interior and the exterior law, the 
exterior may be in fault. It becomes necessary, there- 
fore, to reconstruct the exterior in accordance with the 
interior. But the Divine government and the Divine 
law is, from its very nature, absolutely perfect. Ac- 
cordance with the law of that government, therefore, is 
freedom. The Divine law is also irresistible, and resist- 
ance to that law, self-assertion, independence,is neces- 
sarily slavery and bondage — bondage by the necessary 
operation of perfect law. There is no conceivable free- 
dom under that government except by accordance of 
the interior with the perfect exterior law ; this service 
is perfect freedom : there is no conceivable slavery un- 
der that government except through resistance, revolt, 
sin. 

This, then, is the true, the only true freedom, the 
basis of all others. This is that freedom in compari- 
son with which all other so-called freedom sinks into 
insignificance. This is the true reality, of which the 
other is but the external form. The external or formal 
freedom is valuable only as it is a help to this true in- 
terior freedom. Appropriate form does indeed help 
and strengthen the spirit ; but, as a true worship is 
spiritual, and a formal worship is only good in so far 
as it helps the weak spirit, so also a true freedom is in- 
terior and spiritual, and the exterior freedom is good 



FREEDOM. 189 

only in so far as it helps us to attain the true interior 
freedom. As, in the pursuit of science, the first law is 
truth for truth's sake, and the second law is utility, 
the first law is the upreaching of the mind for Divine 
truth, and the second law the distributing of this in 
material blessings to man ; as in morals, also, the first 
law is love to God, and the second law is love to man 
— the first law, an answering of the human heart to 
the Divine love, and the second law the distributing of 
this again upon our fellow-men — even so, also, is it 
with freedom : the first law of spiritual life and activ- 
ity is the interior freedom, like the free activity of 
Deity ; the second law is the exterior freedom by which 
we communicate our interior freedom to others. Free* 
dom ! true, spiritual freedom ! This is indeed happi- 
ness, unspeakable joy, blessedness. In this his will be- 
comes our will, and yet our will is free, because his 
law becomes our law ; and as his law is the expression 
of his nature, his nature becomes our nature, or we be- 
come partakers of the Divine nature ; and since the 
whole universe, spiritual and material, is the revelation 
of the Divine nature, and our nature is in harmony 
with the Divine nature, our nature becomes in harmony 
with the whole universe, spiritual and material — all 
work together for our good, and, in the highest sense, 
therefore, is indeed ours. 

In the Divine government, I said, freedom is obedi- 
ence to law ; but obedience, not by fear, but by love. 
" Perfect love casteth out fear ; " love is the law of 
freedom, fear is the law of bondage. Obedience, did I 
say ? No ; far better even than this. Obedience sup- 
poses the law of duty, and duty supposes a strong will 



190 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

by force keeping the erring heart in the right way. 
The reign of the law of duty, therefore, is not yet com- 
plete freedom : perfect love casteth out not only fear, 
but also duty and obedience. This is, of course, an 
unattainable ideal here. The highest law which we 
can attain here is the law of duty. The law of duty 
is a school-master to lead us to freedom. But the ideal 
which we look for hereafter, and the contemplation of 
which fills us with ecstasy, is the free, spontaneous ac- 
tivity of our whole nature according to the law of love. 
In this ideal, hope is swallowed up in fruition, faith is 
swallowed up in sight, duty and obedience are swal- 
lowed up in love — and there remain only love, holi* 
ness, freedom. 



LECTURE XII. 

UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 

My Christian Friends : After an absence of many 
weeks, I feel a sincere pleasure in seeing again your 
familiar faces, and reflected there your earnest desire 
to hear the continuation of these lectures. In accord- 
ance with the order announced in my first lecture, I 
take up this evening the Modes of Divine Existence. 
The Deity is represented in Scripture as One Being 
under three modes of existence — as a Unity, and yet 
a Trinity. This is the subject of my evening lecture. 
The bare announcement of the subject has, doubtless, 
already prepared you for much crudeness and imperfec- 
tion in my thoughts. I crave, therefore, the utmost 
leniency of your judgment. 

First, then, the Unity of Deity. 

In the language of Scripture, " The Lord our God 
is one Lord." This grand conception of Deity is so 
familiar to us all, and so accordant with enlightened 
human reason, that we are apt to overlook the wonder- 
fulness of the fact that it was so early enunciated. 
Let us, then, stop a moment to contemplate this mar- 
velous fact. 



192 RELIGION AND~ SCIENCE. 

There is a mystery, an incomprehensibleness, in all 
things around us and within us — a mystery which man 
alone, of all terrestrial beings, recognizes. Religion is 
founded wholly upon the recognition of this mystery. 
Man alone, therefore, of all terrestrial beings, is reli- 
gious. Religiousness and worship, therefore, are found- 
ed in the very distinctive nature of man ; they are the 
very badge of humanity — the image and superscription 
of Deity. 

Now, I know that it is a very common notion 
that it is the function of science to diminish the in- 
comprehensible, and is destined finally entirely to de- 
stroy it ; and, therefore, it must eventually destroy the 
basis of religion. But nothing can be more erroneous 
than such a notion. Science not only cannot destroy, 
but does not even diminish the mystery of existence. 
It only increases our sense of the awfulness and grand- 
eur of mystery. It cannot destroy mystery, it only 
changes the form of our conception of mystery. It 
cannot, therefore, destroy religion ; it only changes it 
from childish, gaping wonder, and perhaps terror, into 
rational worship. To the ignorant savage every thing 
is a separate mystery, every object a separate wonder, 
and perhaps a separate terror. The effect of science is 
to remove separate mysteries, and to show that they 
are all but different forms or manifestations of the One 
Infinite Mystery. Its final effect is to remove all mys- 
tery within mystery, the chaos and confusion of mys- 
tery, and leave only the one all-embracing mystery — 
the Cause of existence ; which, translated into the lan- 
guage of religion, is the One God. Thus, the effect of 
science and of reason is not to destroy, but to introduce 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 193 

order and unity within the limits of an ever-present 
mystery. 

Let me illustrate further the effect of science and 
reason upon religion. Observe, then : in the natural 
and uncultivated man there is a strong tendency tow- 
ard materialization and indefinite multiplication of 
mystery — i. e., a strong tendency to materialize and 
multiply the objects of worship. This leads, on the one 
hand, to object-worship and idol-worship, and on the 
other to polytheism. The tendency of culture, of rea- 
son, of philosophy, of civilization, on the contrary, is, 
always and everywhere, toward spirituality and unity 
of Deity. In the lowest forms of savage life every ob- 
ject is a separate mystery. To the savage the myste- 
rious, incomprehensible principle resident in every ob- 
ject becomes a separate deity. This lowest form of 
religion is called fetichism. The next step in the de- 
velopment of natural religion is the deification of the 
general agencies and forces of Nature. The forces 
which rule the air are embodied and worshiped as 
Jupiter, the forces which rule the seas are embodied 
and worshiped as Neptune, and the mysterious and 
dread agencies at work within the earth are again em- 
bodied and worshiped as Pluto. Thus arose the poly- 
theism of the Greeks and Romans. Again, the last and 
highest step — a step never reached by popular religion, 
but only by philosophic thought — is the recognition of 
one principle pervading the whole universe, and the 
acknowledgment of this as Deity. Thus the human 
reason, at last, reaches monotheism. 

Now, this progress of the human mind from the ma- 
terial to the spiritual, and from the many to the one, 
9 



194 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

is not peculiar to natural religion or to theology, but 
is universal. The development which we have just 
traced is but one example of a general law of the prog- 
ress of human thought. In all departments the natu- 
ral progress of human thought is from the concrete to 
the abstract, from the material to the ideal, and from 
the many to the one. Thus in science, as I have al- 
ready explained in a previous lecture, we pass from the 
material and infinitely numerous phenomena, to laws 
which are more abstract and less numerous ; from these 
we pass, again, to principles or forces which are still less 
numerous and more abstract ; and from these, finally, to 
the recognition of one universal, omnipresent energy. 
This conception, translated into the formula of religion, 
becomes the one God. Thus also in the realm of mor- 
als : we pass in thought from the infinitely numerous 
duties — a separate duty for every event — to the more 
general laws and customs of society ; from these again 
to the recognition of a few more abstract general prin- 
ciples, the ten commandments ; from these, finally, to the 
recognition of one highest and most abstract principle 
—one universal moral energy, love, which, translated 
into the formula of religion, is again God. 

Thus you will observe, in religion, in science, in 
morals, the human reason passes from the material to 
the spiritual, from the concrete to the abstract, from 
the many to the one. But observe, also, that this high- 
est point is not reached except by a slow and laborious 
process ; that it is the last result of human culture and 
human thought ; and that it is never reached at all ex- 
cept by the highest philosophical minds. Now, is it 
not wonderful that this very last and highest result of 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 195 

human thought and human culture, viz., the perfect 
unity and spirituality of Deity, should be found clearly 
revealed in the earliest writings of which we have any 
knowledge, viz., the writings of Moses ? Is it not won- 
derful that, in a time when polytheism and idolatry 
reigned over the whole earth, this highest conception 
of Deity, of which the human mind is capable, should 
have been so distinctly enunciated by Moses and so 
generally embraced by a whole people ? And this con- 
ception existed not only in the mind of Moses, but in a 
still ruder age, in the mind of Abraham ; for, although 
the history of Abraham is written by Moses, yet it 
bears the strongest marks of being the true history of 
a real and very grand life. 

But this is not all that is wonderful about it ; for, 
observe again : the monotheism which is reached by 
human reason and human culture is always a panthe- 
istic monotheism : it is the belief in a universal prin- 
ciple or soul, pervading Nature, but not distinct from 
Nature. Such is the monotheism of the old Greek phi- 
losophers ; such is the monotheism of the German phi- 
losophy of the present day. Now, such a monotheism 
is utterly inoperative upon the human heart and upon 
human life. Thus, in the progress of natural religious 
belief under the influence of human reason alone, in 
proportion as it rises to a higher and higher point, it 
becomes less and less operative on human life. Inpro - 
portion as it meets the demands of the human intellect, 
in the same proportion does it lose its hold upon the 
human heart. Now, the monotheism of the Scriptures 
—the monotheism held by Moses and by Abraham — was 
not a pantheistic monotheism. It combined perfect 



196 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

unity and perfect spirituality, with complete person' 
ality. To Moses and Abraham, God was not an imper- 
sonal abstraction, but a living, personal reality. Their 
conception of Deity, while it satisfied completely the 
demands of human reason, held fast also upon the hu- 
man heart and guided human conduct. Reason passes 
step by step by slow gradations to reach the one God, 
and then only to find Him an unsubstantial abstraction. 
How different, in the case of Moses and of Abraham, 
have been both the process and the result ! Is it, then, 
the result of unassisted human reason? It does not 
seem so. Shall we call it the result of genius ? If it 
is genius, it is genius the fruit of which has satisfied 
the highest demands of the most cultivated human na- 
ture from that time to this ; and will continue to do so 
for all time. If this be genius, it must be not human 
but superhuman genius. 

Thus I conclude, then, that the unity of Deity is 
revealed in external Nature and in human nature, but 
only understood by highest culture and then only im- 
perfectly. But this last term of human thought is 
clearly revealed in the Scriptures from the first. 

But the Scriptures reveal not only perfect unity, 
but also trinal existence : three modes of one absolute 
being. These three, as you all know, are called the 
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now, it is &_ 
remarkable fact, and important as, perhaps, throwing 
light on the nature of these distinctions, that, while 
unity is so clearly revealed and so strongly insisted on 
in the Old Testament, the trinity of Deity is, I think, 
clearly revealed only in the New. With the idea already 
in the mind, it is true we may find it in the Old also- 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 197 

There is, perhaps, a dim foreshadowing of this truth 
there. It is supposed to be found in the very Hebrew 
name which we translate God — " JElohim" which is a 
plural form, though always connected with a verb in 
the singular number, indicating unity ', yet plurality. 
It is supposed also to be indicated in such expressions 
as these : " And God said, Let us make man " — " Let 
us go down and confound their language." Neverthe- 
less, I think it will be admitted that, unless we look for 
it, we will not find it. It cannot be said to be distinctly 
revealed there. 

Now, the question naturally occurs, "Why is this ? 
There are two reasons which occur to my mind. There 
may be many other and more profound reasons, but they 
are unknown to me. First : In the old era, in the time 
of the Hebrew nation, polytheism and idolatry were uni- 
versal over the surface of the earth, with the single 
exception of this favored land. The moral atmosphere 
of the world was charged with it ; it could not fail to 
affect the favored people. Moreover, the conception 
of Deity given by Moses, the pure monotheism of the 
Hebrew Scriptures, was far too pure and spiritual, not 
only for the world, but for the Hebrews. There was, 
therefore, a constant tendency in this people to relapse. 
In spite of the threatenings and judgments of Provi- 
dence, in spite of warnings and denunciations of proph- 
ets and seers, in spite of a wise legal isolation insti- 
tuted for this very purpose, they constantly fell away 
into idolatry and polytheism. Now, you will easily see 
that, under these circumstances, the thing most neces- 
sary to be insisted on was the unity and spirituality 
of Deity. At a time when the whole effort of revela- 



198 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

tion was to preserve a pure and spiritual religion, idol- 
atry and polytheism was justly regarded as the sin of 
sins, the sum of all wickedness. If Trinity had been 
revealed at this time, it would certainly have produced 
a tritheism, a form of polytheism, and thus have de- 
stroyed the unity and spirituality of Deity. 

But, at the time of the coming of Christ, the old 
era, with its tendencies, was already dead. In the 
Jewish people, especially, the tendency to idolatry and 
polytheism had entirely passed away. Even among the 
Greeks and Romans, while idolatry and polytheism still 
lingered in a feeble state>of vitality among the com- 
mon people, it was already dead among cultivated 
thinking men; and the only semblance of religion 
which remained among this class was the pantheistic 
monotheism, already spoken of. The old religions, 
then, whether Jewish or pagan, were essentially dead. 
The soulless body was retained by the Jews as a dead 
formalism ; the disembodied spirit was retained by the 
Greek and Roman philosophers as an unsubstantial ab- 
straction. Now, under these circumstances, when the 
tendency toward idolatry and polytheism, among the 
Jews and among philosophical thinkers all over the 
civilized world, had passed away entirely, the revelation 
of Trinity could not, as before, produce the effect of 
materializing the conception of Deity, and would pro- 
duce the effect of quickening the life of religious faith 
by bringing God in closer relation to man. 

Another and perhaps better reason for the revela- 
tion of Trinity at this time is this : In Nature and in 
general providence, as Father and as universal Sov- 
ereign, the relations of Deity to us are comparatively 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 199 

simple, and therefore He is revealed as One. But in 
the scheme of redemption the relations of Deity to 
man are complex, and his offices and functions, in con- 
nection with these complex relations, are manifold. 
Thus it became necessary that the more complex nature 
of Deity in his relation to man should also be revealed. 

Unity, and yet Trinity. Trinity in Unity. You 
will naturally expect me to say something on the nature 
of this Trinity in Unity. I do so with much hesita- 
tion. 

The Scriptures, I think, quite clearly state, first, 
that the Three are the same in essence / in other words, 
they reveal essential identity / not three parts of a 
divided whole, but the whole in each of the Three. In 
the second place, they reveal essential equality. Both 
of these ideas are involved in the idea of absolute 
unity. In the third place, they reveal that in some 
sense the Three are distinct. But as to the kind of 
distinction and the degree of distinctness ttie_Scriptures 
are absolutely silent ; and this silence is undoubtedly 
significant. It means that we cannot form a clear con- 
ception in our finite minds of the nature, and we can- 
not formulate in human language the degree, of this 
distinction. The usual belief is, that the trinal exist- 
ence is personal, and therefore that the distinction is 
that of Three different Persons of One Being. The 
word tri-personality is, therefore, often used to express 
the idea more distinctly. But evidently the word 
person is here used in a different sense from that in 
which we use it in speaking of ourselves. My spirit 
may indeed reach your spirit through the senses, and 
affect it by sympathy ; but my self-consciousness can- 



200 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

not touch your self-consciousness. Each of us has his 
own distinct circle of consciousness, and they do not 
and cannot touch each other. Now, we cannot believe 
that a separate consciousness is the nature of the dis- 
tinction between the different modes of Divine exist- 
ence, for this is inconsistent with unity. And yet this 
separate consciousness is what we mean by personality, 
when applied to man. If we must formulate our notions 
on this subject, it may be that the word "person" is 
the best we can use. But let us not forget that this 
word is not used for this purpose in Scripture ; nor is it 
used in the first church formula, the Apostles' Creed ; 
but appears only in the later church formularies. Let 
us learn from this that too great positiveness in our 
own opinion, and too great intolerance of difference of 
opinion in others, as to the nature of the distinction 
and the degree of the distinctness, is unbecoming to us 
either as Christians or as philosophers. 

Perhaps it may be interesting and instructive to 
trace for a moment the origin of the word "person" in 
this connection. The early period of the Christian 
Church was a period of immense speculative activity in 
the domain of theology. It was also a period of ex- 
tremely divergent and conflicting opinion. The reason 
is evident : the Christian religion, a new, vigorous, 
young system, claiming Divine origin, was just intro- 
duced. All the old philosophies, the Rabbinical, the 
Greek, the Eastern, are struggling for recognition and 
incorporation into the new system. Many of the early 
Christians were deeply affected by these prevailing 
philosophies, some by one, some by another. The re- 
sult was a perfect chaos of divergent and conflicting 






UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 201 

opinions on religious doctrines — opinions so divergent 
and conflicting as to threaten the very existence of the 
Church itself. There is not a form of sectarian opinion 
now existing on any religious subject but has its root 
in the discussions of the time of which I am now speak- 
ing. Gradually this chaos crystallized into the early 
dogmas and formulas of the Church. To a more limited 
extent the same thing has taken place repeatedly since. 
In fact, these changes are in strict accordance with the 
law of all human progress. In every department, in 
politics, in religion, in science, the law of progress is 
the same; the higher and more complex the depart- 
ment, the more marked the law. In every department 
the body of human knowledge passes through alternate 
conditions of chaos and of order — of disintegration and 
reintegration, of solution and recrystallization. A sys- 
tem of knowledge or belief, however perfect, soon gath- 
ers and incorporates new elements, thoughts, ideas, 
facts. As a necessary consequence there follows disin- 
tegration, in order to reorganization into higher forms 
— resolution, in order to incorporation, into the solution, 
of new elements, and then recrystallization into yet 
higher and more beautiful forms. The religious world 
seems, just now, to be in one of these states of chaotic 
opinion, in a transition state, a stage of disintegration, 
a stage of solution, caused principally by the mass of 
new elements introduced by science. Some persons 
think it will result in the final disintegration and de- 
struction of religion. But those who understand the 
law of the progress of philosophy, and especially those 
who have studied the history of the Church, have no 
such fears. Religious belief is only preparing, by the 



202 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

incorporation of new elements, to crystallize in a higher, 
more rational, and more beautiful form. 

Now, the time of which we were speaking was just 
such a transition period. The chaos was such as to 
threaten the very life of the Church. Councils were 
therefore called, in order to settle the dogmas of the 
Church. Among the points to be settled was the very 
one of which we are speaking. The opinions of some 
on this subject were such that their notions of Unity 
swallowed up the idea of Trinity; the opinions of 
others were such that their notions of Trinity complete- 
ly destroyed the idea of Unity. It became necessary, 
therefore, for the Church to define more clearly its be- 
lief on this subject. It must formulate its belief. In 1 
doing so it used the word Person, and the formula be- 
came " Three persons and One essence" But, I repeat, 
let us not forget that these words are not used to ex- 
press this distinction, either in the Scriptures or in the j 
Apostles' Creed. 

Perhaps it may be instructive to remark here that 
all sects and divisions of the Church are based, not on 
Scripture, as many imagine, but upon Church formulas ; 
and these formulas are always the result of attempts 
to conceive more clearly, and formulate more distinctly, 
certain religious ideas, than they have been formulated 
in Scripture. It may be necessary, on account of the 
centrifugal tendency of opinion, to formulate beliefs ; I 
believe it has been necessary to do so ; but I believe, 
also, that in the progress of religious thought it will 
become less and less necessary. 

Unity in Trinity, Trinity in Unity ! Some will say 
many have said, "This is utterly incomprehensible, 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY, 203 

and therefore irrational." I answer, It is, indeed, in- 
comprehensible, but not ■, therefore, irrational. Ration- 
ality is accordance with reason, which is accordance 
with Nature without and Nature within. Let me, then, 
try to show you that the idea of Trinity in Unity is 
not discordant with Nature, and therefore is not dis- 
cordant with reason. For this purpose I will only 
throw out two thoughts by way of suggestions, and ask 
you to reflect on them. 

I. As already said, in all existence there is that 
which is incomprehensible and mysterious. This is the 
basis of religion. As already explained, also, the in- 
comprehensible can never be destroyed, it cannot even 
be diminished by the advance of knowledge. Now, 
further : In all things divine, yea, in all the deepest 
questions of human philosophy, there are two points of 
view which are irreconcilable, and therefore incom- 
prehensible by human reason, and yet which must 
both be accepted by reason as true. 

Let me illustrate by an example : The absolute, un- 
conditioned being and absolute sovereignty of Deity, 
and yet the free-will of man — both of these must be 
true. Absolute, unconditioned being — all-embracing, 
all-controlling, this must be the essential nature of Dei- 
ty — any thing short of this falls below the imperative 
demands of the enlightened reason. Nevertheless, the 
free-will of man is also certain; otherwise the moral 
nature, the responsibility of man, and all that is based 
on it, government, society, culture, reason itself, in a 
word, humanity, is destroyed, and man is no longer man. 
But the relation of these two certain and undoubted 
truths to each other we cannot comprehend. We can* 



204 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

not reconcile them, yet they must be consistent with 
each other. Their point of reconciliation is beyond 
the limits of our mental sight. 

Take another example: All Nature as well as all 
Scripture reveals an immutable Deity. Any other con- 
ception is repugnant to enlightened reason. Yet every 
one of us, when we assume the attitude of prayer, must 
believe that in some sense we affect the mind and 
change the purposes of Deity. How to reconcile these 
two perfectly, we know not; yet they must both be 
true. The one is necessary to a just conception of 
Deity, and therefore to the requirements of enlight- 
ened reason ; the other is necessary to the culture, yea 
the very existence of our religious nature, which is the 
basis of our humanity ; they must be reconcilable, but 
their point of reconciliation lies beyond the limits of 
our mental sight. 

Take yet another example : By studying man pure- 
ly from the spiritual point of view, by turning the mind 
inward upon itself, and examining its operations only 
as revealed in consciousness, philosophers have suc- 
ceeded in building up a purely ideal philosophy which 
makes the whole material world a mere illusion, an ex- 
ternal projection of internal states. But commencing 
from the contrary point of view, from matter and ma- 
terial phenomena, and turning the mind ever outward, 
other philosophers, especially in these latter days, have 
built up a tolerably consistent philosophy which ig- 
nores the existence of spirit, and makes it a mere illu- 
sion. Now, these two philosophies are both founded 
upon true bases, both built up according to the laws 
of reason, and therefore both in a certain sense true; 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 205 

but how to reconcile them completely we do not yet 
know. They must be reconcilable, but their point of 
reconciliation lies beyond the limits of our present 
mental vision. 

I might carry the examples much further. Even in 
the department of science there is one philosophy 
which refers all phenomena to force, and abolishes 
matter; another refers all to matter, and abolishes 
force; while true practical philosophy accepts both 
force and matter. 

Thus it is in nearly all questions of philosophy. If 
we trace them deep enough, we find two irreconcilable 
views. There is a fundamental antithesis in all human 
philosophy, and this it is which constitutes the true 
enigma of the Sphinx. 

There are many such questions presented in Script- 
ure, but the Scriptures never attempt to solve them, 
because it is impossible to make the solution intelligible 
to the human mind. They simply show one side, and 
then turn the other. They give the one side, because 
this side is necessary to a just conception of Deity, 
and therefore a necessary condition of a pure religion ; 
they then turn the other side, because that is neces- 
sary in order to bring Him into intelligible relation 
with finite beings, and is, therefore, the necessary con- 
dition of a practical religion. Now, Trinity in Unity 
seems to be one of these questions. Unity is absolutely 
necessary to a just conception of Deity ; Trinity brings 
Him into closer relation with us, and makes religion 
more practical and more vital, 

In the case of some of these insoluble questions, in 
the highest flights of thought we sometimes catch im- 



206 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

perfect glimpses of a partial solution, of a partial ex- 
planation of the apparent antagonism. 1 As we trace 
the two lines of thought with straining vision upward 
higher and still higher, they seem to approach, we 
see they must meet; but their point of actual and 
perfect union is beyond the limits of our sight. Thus 
is it, also, to some extent, with the three modes of Di- 
vine existence. As we gaze upward higher and still 
higher, they seem to converge and approach, but their 
point of union is lost in the insufferable light of the 
Absolute. "We have said (Lecture IX.) that revelation 
is a down-reaching and ramifying process ; that Deity 
in self-revelation reaches down toward us, separating 
and ramifying until the extreme rootlets of revelation 
fix themselves in our sensuous nature, thus taking firm 
hold, in order to draw us again upward. Now, these 
three seem to be the first three great branches in the 
downward course of revelation from the Absolute to 
man. The point of separation is too high, too near the 
Absolute, for us to contemplate steadily. 

II. Again : as already said, the function of reason 
is not to remove mystery, but to introduce order with- 
in the limits of mystery. Human nature is essentially 
finite. We are limited, bounded, and conditioned, on 
every side. We are imprisoned, " cribbed, cabined, 
and confined," by these limits and conditions, as by an 
impassable surrounding wall. Now, the domain of 
reason is within the limits of these conditions, within 
the circle of this wall. The domain of the incompre- 
hensible, of mystery, and therefore of faith, is on the 
other side of the wall. It is the duty of reason to con- 
1 See Lectures XVIII. and XIX. 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 207 

quer all within, it is the province of religion to worship 
the incomprehensible beyond. Now, this distinction 
has not always been clearly understood. In the olden 
times the proud human reason dared to believe that its 
domain was boundless. The whole effort of the proud 
old Greek philosophy was to break over the bounds of 
knowledge and penetrate the essential mystery. It 
wasted its strength in vainly chafing against these 
bounds. In its proud determination to find out what 
was beyond the wall, it neglected the whole area with- 
in the wall. In its determination to know what matter 
is, it despised to learn what matter does. In its deter- 
mination to know what the essence of spirit is, it 
neglected to study the properties and phenomena of 
spirit. In its determination to attain the unattain- 
able essential knowledge, it neglected the attainable, 
revealed knowledge. Thus, matter, spirit, God — these 
were the questions of the old philosophy. Absolute 
being, existence — these it determined to solve the mys- 
tery of. Alas ! the spirit of the old philosophy is not 
yet dead. Similar questions even now vainly agitate 
the minds and waste the strength of the philosophers 
of Germany. 

Science, on the contrary, far more wise and far more 
humble, recognizes the bounds of human reason. She 
recognizes the impassable wall which surrounds us. 
What lies beyond she leaves to faith, and expends her 
whole strength in conquering what lies within. The 
whole progress of science has been the result of the 
recognition that human knowledge is phenomenal, and 
not essential — that essential knowledge belongs to 
God, phenomenal or revealed knowledge belongs to 



208 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

man. But the proud spirit of the old philosophy, 
though driven out from the domain of Science, still 
lingers in the domain of Theology. Theology still dis- 
cusses, in the spirit of the old philosophy, many ab- 
struse questions which evidently lie beyond the domain 
of human reason. Theology, for example, still wastes 
its strength in vain attempts to comprehend and for- 
mulate the nature and degree of the distinction be- 
tween the different modes of Divine existence — the 
nature of Trinity in Unity. 

Is there not, then, a domain of human reason in 
questions like these ? If so, what is it ? I answer : 
Precisely the same as in all other questions. Let me 
illustrate ; and for this purpose I will take one of the 
simplest and best understood of all subjects, viz., the 
subject of universal gravitation. There is clearly a 
domain of reason here, and right royally has reason sub- 
dued it. But there is also a mystery here, a something 
which lies beyond the domain of reason. It is impos- 
sible for us to know what gravity is in its essential 
nature. We may call it a form of Divine energy ; but 
this is the formula of faith, not of science. No scien- 
tific man for a moment imagines that he can ever know 
this. Even though we should reduce all force to mo- 
lecular motion, the cause of molecular motion must 
still remain inscrutable to reason. Faith calls it God. 
It is the duty of reason to acknowledge, but not her 
domain to comprehend, God. What, then, is the domain 
of reason ? I answer : Not what gravity is, but what 
gravity does — the phenomena of gravity, the laws of 
gravity, and especially the universality of gravity. 
The rational view of the motion of celestial bodies is 



UNITY AND TRINITY OF DEITY. 209 

the recognition of the fact that the same law and the 
same force which control the falling of a stone, guide 
these, also, in their fiery course. In other words, the 
function of reason is to establish the universality of 
gravity throughout all space. To prove this, is to 
make celestial motion comprehensible and rational, in 
the human sense of the term ; and there is no other 
way of making it rational. 

Now, similar is the domain of reason in all subjects, 
similar is its domain in this subject of Trinity in Unity. 
It is not to solve its essential nature, but to show, if 
possible, its universality — to trace, if possible (I do not 
say it is possible), its impress everywhere on Nature 
within, and Nature without. If we do that, we make 
it comprehensible and rational in the human sense — 
the only sense in which it can be comprehensible and 
rational to us. This is the true and only domain of 
reason on this subject. The ground upon which we 
may hope for rational knowledge here is this: The 
works of Deity must be in the image of Deity. He 
must impress his nature upon all revelation. If this 
nature is Triune, something like Triunity ought to be 
traceable in all his works, but more and more per- 
fectly in proportion as the Divine image is more per- 
fect, and therefore most perfectly in man. Now, can 
we trace any thing like this in Nature ? I sometimes 
think we can dimly trace something like this in all 
revelation. It seems to me we can trace it first in the 
three great attributes which reach down and take hold 
of man — truth, love, holiness. We can trace it again in 
the threefold spiritual nature of man, answering back 
to God and reaching upward to take hold of Him : the 



210 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

intellect, taking hold of truth ; the heart, taking hold 
of love ; and the will, taking hold and embodying holi- 
ness in life and conduct. It seems to me, again, we 
can trace it in the three great spiritual pursuits of men, 
the only three human pursuits which pass beyond this 
world and take hold on things eternal — science, reli- 
gion, art : science, which seeks Divine truth ; religion, 
which seeks Divine love; and art, which seeks the 
Divine beauty of holiness. The first is the human em- 
bodiment of Divine truth ; the second, the human em- 
bodiment of Divine love and goodness ; the third, the 
human embodiment of Divine harmony and beauty. 

Perhaps I might go further and trace it also in ex- 
ternal Nature, but here the image becomes too dim and 
uncertain. It may be impossible, now, and in the light 
of present science, to trace it any further with confi- 
dence, but the domain of reason is there, and only there. 
It seems to me, then, that while theologians have wasted 
their strength in trying to attain the unattainable, here 
is a mine which is yet almost untouched. 



LECTURE XIII. 



INCARNATION OF DEITY. 



My Christian Friends : The subject of my lecture 
this evening is the Incarnation of Deity ; a subject 
so vast and so profound that what I shall say must 
necessarily be imperfect and fragmentary. I almost 
fear to touch a subject so sacred and at the same time 
so profound. 

You will remember that in my last lecture I spoke 
of Deity as One Being under three modes of existence. 
Now, the Scriptures teach us that one of these, in the 
fullness of time, became incarnated in the man Christ 
Jesus ; that one of these became visibly manifest and 
embodied in flesh as our fellow-man, our friend, our 
brother ; that he who was the Son of God became also 
the son of man, a name by which he loved to call him- 
self because it brought him nearer to us ; that he thus 
became manifest in order that he might the more per- 
fectly reveal to us the nature, the love, and especially 
the fatherhood of God and thus teach the brotherhood 
of humanity. No wonder that this is regarded by 
Christians as the dearest and most sacred doctrine of 
Scripture. If the belief in Deity is the foundation of 
natural religion, surely the belief in an incarnate Deity 



212 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

is the corner-stone of the Christian religion. If we re- 
ject this, we reject that which is most characteristic in 
Christian faith. 

Now, this doctrine has always been the stumbling- 
block and rock of offense of the so-called rationalists. 
They say it is incomprehensible, irrational, absurd. 
Now, I admit at once that it is in its deepest sense in- 
comprehensible, but I do not admit that it is therefore 
irrational. As already explained in a previous lecture, 
all things when traced to their deepest essence, all 
questions when traced to their deepest meaning, are 
incomprehensible. But this, like many other profound 
truths, is partly also comprehensible. Like the grand- 
est conceptions of Deity — like the highest spiritual 
truths — it may not be reached directly by reason ; but, 
being once clearly revealed, it is found accordant both 
with reason and with all the yearnings of the human 
heart. It may be that unassisted we would never find 
it revealed in Nature or in the human heart ; but, be- 
ing first clearly revealed in Scripture, we then find the 
dim revelations of it, also, in external Nature and in the 
nature of man. To show this will be the principal ob- 
ject of this evening's lecture. 

I must again repeat what I have already so often 
said, viz., that there is a mystery in all existence; that 
essential knowledge is not for man, but only revealed 
knowledge. All the materials of knowledge are there- 
fore furnished us, freely given us through revelation ; 
and the whole function and domain of reason is to 
arrange and combine, and thus gradually to build up 
out of these materials the complex fabric of human 
knowledge. It is just as impossible for reason to make 






INCARNATION OF DEITY. 213 

the raw materials on which it works as it is for the 
chemist to make the elements on which he works : in 
both cases these must be furnished to hand. 

Let me illustrate: Nature is a pure revelation. 
Even the existence of external Nature cannot be proved 
by reason. But, admitting the existence of an external 
material universe, what matter is we know not, and 
reason cannot tell us. All we know is, how the mate- 
rial world reveals itself to us as phenomena. But 
these phenomena, again— reason cannot prove them nor 
make them more certain. Thus, neither the existence 
of the external world, nor the essential nature of mat- 
ter, nor the properties and phenomena of matter, can 
be proved or made more certain by reason. All these 
are received by faith ; they are the raw materials of 
knowledge ; they form the basis of reasoning, and there- 
fore are already more certain than any thing can be 
made by reasoning. Frankly accepting these revela- 
tions of truth through our senses, these materials fur- 
nished by faith, reason then combines them according 
to certain laws, and gradually constructs out of them 
the temple of science. In proportion as this temple 
of science, the work of man, is in accordance with the 
temple of Nature, the work of God, is the human work 
good and true. 

Precisely the same principles apply to the study of 
the world within. The facts of the spirit-world are re- 
vealed to us through consciousness. They are ultimate 
facts, which cannot be proved by reason, but which we 
always accept by faith. We believe them, but cannot 
prove them ; nor do they need proof, since they are 
already more certain than any thing can be made by 



214 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

proof. The j are the materials out of which reason 
makes knowledge. With these materials she gradually 
constructs the complex fabric of what we call mental 
science or psychology. 

So, precisely, I think, ought we to regard and deal 
with the sacred Scriptures. If we admit these as a 
Divine revelation, then ought we to accept the facts 
and truths revealed clearly there as the materials of 
knowledge ; and the only domain of reason is to arrange 
and combine these materials into an organized body of 
knowledge ; to show law and order and consistency 
throughout ; and thus gradually to construct the fabric 
of theology. 

You will perceive, therefore, that in these three 
revelations are furnished all the materials of human 
knowledge. They are furnished by revelation and ac- 
cepted by faith, and then used by reason to construct 
the fabric of human knowledge. Revelation, therefore, 
through faith, furnishes the materials ; reason is the 
builder. This is the domain of reason in each of these 
three. There is still another and higher domain of 
reason. It is to show the accordance of these three 
with one another ; to combine these three subordinate 
temples into one, and thus to construct the glorious 
triune temple of perfect philosophy. To contribute 
something in this direction has been the object of these 
lectures. 

I assert, therefore, that, admitting these three as 
revelations of Deity, I have truly limited the domain 
of reason. The importance of this view cannot be 
over-estimated. It lies, I believe, at the very founda- 
tion of all rational philosophy. But in these times it 



WCARKATION OF DEITY. 215 

is the fashion to ignore the limits of reason. It seems 
to me that the very evil of this age, the form in which 
the spirit of evil appears in these latter days, is the 
pride of human reason. This is the spirit of so-called 
rationalism. It would seem as if the human reason, on 
subjects of theology, had been so long repressed, that, 
in the joy of its new-born liberty, it asserts the bound- 
lessness of its powers and the limitlessness of its do- 
main. In its pride it passes bej^ond its own domain, 
and invades the domain of faith, and thus destroys the 
only foundation upon which itself can build. 

There is, then, I believe, in the world at the present 
time, very rife and fashionable, a false spirit of ration- 
alism — a spirit that arrogates to itself the name of 
rationalism, as if it alone followed the laws of reason 
and the methods of science, when, in fact, it knows 
nothing of either, nor even understands the domain of 
reason itself. Hence, rationalism, or the use of reason 
in the investigation of religious truth, has come to be 
regarded as inconsistent with faith, and synonymous 
with skepticism ; and faith, on the other hand, has come 
to be regarded as necessarily blind and irrational. But 
there is a true use of reason as well as a false use of 
reason ; there is a true spirit of rationalism, as well as 
a false ; or, rather, I should say, there is a true rational 
spirit, very different from this false spirit of so-called 
rationalism. The false spirit tries every fact and every 
duty and every truth at the bar of reason, even im- 
perfect, unenlightened reason ; not remembering that 
reason itself is only cultivated through revelation, and 
therefore through faith. The true rational spirit, on the 
contrary, accepts revelation, and tries to bring the 



216 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

human reason in accordance with it — accepts, and then 
tries to understand the revelation. 

The great difference between the true and the false 
use of reason is clearly shown in the history of the study 
of Nature. The old philosophy arrogated to itself the 
power to impose laws upon Nature. It disdained to sit 
humbly at Nature's feet, and spell out letter by letter 
her revelations. No ; man is lord of Nature, and must 
therefore find the laws of Nature within himself. These 
proud philosophers attempted to evolve a philosophy of 
Nature from within, from the laws of thought. They 
thus enacted what they supposed ought to be, and 
\ therefore must be, the laws of Nature. But Nature re- 
fused to be bound by their laws. A true science, on 
the contrary, far more humble, in the true rational 
spirit, regards Nature as a Divine revelation, approaches 
with reverence, and sits at her feet and learns from her 
her laws, instead of imposing on her its laws. Science 
has learned that in order to be masters we must first be 
pupils. 

Now, this proud false spirit, though expelled from 
science, still lingers in the domain of metaphysics and 
especially of theology. But as, in Nature, we cannot, by 
reason, construct a true philosophy, until we first accept 
her teachings as a revelation ; so also, if we acknowl- 
edge Scripture as a Divine revelation, ought we to limit 
the domain of reason to the organization of the materials 
there given, and then to show their accordance with 
other forms of revelation. How shall I sufficiently 
strongly contrast this hateful false spirit with the true 
rational spirit ? The true spirit of rationalism accom- 
plishes every-thing, but thinks little of its own achieve- 



INCARNATION OF DEITY. 217 

ments: all our knowledge has been achieved by this 
spirit, and yet it regards itself only as a little child 
gathering pebbles on the shores of a boundless ocean of 
truth. The false spirit of rationalism, on the contrary, 
accomplishes nothing itself, but takes what has been 
accomplished by the other spirit, and then draws its 
own grand but hasty conclusions. It indulges ever in 
self-glorification, in self-gratulation ; it spreads its pea- 
cock plumes, and struts ; it blows its trumpet, and cries, 
" See what glorious things have been done by human 
reason ! " The false spirit of rationalism exalts reason 
in self, and despises reason in others, especially in 
former ages. The true rational spirit distrusts reason 
in self, and honors reason in all men and in all ages. A 
wise child listens to the words of his father, believes 
them, and then tries to understand them. This is the 
domain of reason for him ; this is the true rational spirit. 
In this way only can he learn any thing. We, also, are 
little children of a loving heavenly Father, who is anx- 
ious to reveal himself to our imperfect understandings. 
If we accept his revelation, we will finally learn to 
understand it ; if we do not accept, we will remain in 
darkness and ignorance forever. It is in this true 
rational spirit that I would approach the subject of 
incarnation. I wish to use reason upon the materials 
furnished us by revelation. 

We have seen, then, that the function of reason is 
not to acquire essential knowledge, but rather to show 
law and order extending throughout revelation. On 
the subject of incarnation, therefore, the true domain 
of reason is not the essential nature of incarnation ; it 
is not the essential nature of the union of the Divine 
10 



218 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

and the human ; it is not to solve the essential mystery 
of the God-man ; but it is, rather, to show, first, that 
all Scripture is in harmony with this doctrine ; and, 
second, that the doctrine is also in accordance with the 
revelations of external Nature and of the human heart. 
In other words, it is to show, if I may so speak, a 
universal law of incarnation ; to show that incarnation, 
or something analogous to it, is found in Nature and 
required by the human heart. In so far as we show 
this do we make the doctrine comprehensible and 
rational. To show the accordance of this doctrine with 
all Scripture revelation is the part of theology. Doubt- 
less you have ail been made familiar with it by the 
teachings of the pulpit. I shall not, therefore, touch 
it, but take it for granted. But it is my part to show 
that it is accordant also with the revelations of exter- 
nal and internal Nature. 

Grant then, only, first, the love and fatherhood of 
God ; that fatherhood which the Incarnate Son came to 
reveal ; that fatherhood which even the skeptic clings 
to, although he forgets to be grateful to Him who re- 
vealed it ; admit the fatherly love of God and his infinite 
desire to elevate man and to bring him nearer and 
nearer, and make him more and more like to himself 
— admit only this, and the necessity of incarnation is 
almost self-evident. 

Remember, then, in the first place, that all human 
culture comes through revelation of the nature of 
Deity ; revelation in external Nature, revelation in 
human consciousness, revelation in Scripture. It is 
from these three books that all our knowledge and our 
culture are derived. Only in proportion as our thoughts 



INCARNATION OF DEITY. 219 

become like his thoughts, our will like his will, and our 
heart like his heart, are we elevated, ennobled, and 
cultivated. There is no other human culture but this. 

Remember, again, that our sensuous nature is so 
strong, and our spiritual nature so weak, the human 
spirit is so deeply bedded and drowned in a sensuous 
and material nature, that it is impossible for spiritual 
things to reveal themselves to us except through ma- 
terial, and especially through human, forms. For in- 
stance, the thought of one man cannot reach the spirit 
of another, except by sensuous forms of some kind, by 
words or gestures, or far more perfectly and clearly by 
visible embodiment in the form of an instrument or 
machine. The most beautiful imaginings of poetic 
genius produce little impression on the poet himself, 
and none whatever on others, until they clothe them- 
selves in the glorious form of noble verse. A noble 
or a beautiful human spirit, the most noble and beau- 
tiful of all things on this earth, cannot produce its full- 
est effect on us unless it reveals itself in a noble or 
beautiful human form. Our religious emotions and 
sentiments cannot produce their fullest effect upon our- 
selves or upon others unless they embody themselves 
in appropriate forms of worship. 

If this be so in human things, how much more must 
it be so in the more incomprehensible Divine things ! 
Divine things, therefore, must reveal themselves to us 
in material, and especially in human, forms, in order to 
impress our minds and hearts. Thus truth, Divine 
truth, cannot impress us unless it first embodies itself 
in a material nature. But this is not enough ; it must 
again come down and embody itself in the human form 



220 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

of science. Divine beauty — the beauty of holiness, 
must first embody itself in the beauty and order of 
Nature. But this is not enough : in order to touch us 
fully, it must come down still lower and embody itself 
in the form of human art. The love of God also em- 
bodies itself in the general beneficence of Nature's 
laws. But this is not enough : it must come down and 
walk the earth ; it must embody itself in the form of an 
organized society, the Church ; it must embody itself 
in the forms of good men living here among us. 

If, then, all things Divine reveal themselves, and 
can reveal themselves to us, only through sensuous 
and especially through human forms, is it not natural, 
is it not rational, is it not necessary, that the Divine 
nature, the Divine essence, the Divine person, if it 
reveal itself at all, should do so in human form ? The 
infinite love of God necessitates the revelation ; the 
nature of man necessitates the form. If the face of 
Moses after communion with Deity must be veiled, how 
shall the insufferable light of the Absolute be revealed 
to us unless it be veiled in human flesh ? 

All culture, we have said, comes to man through 
revelation. The whole work of God, in relation to man, 
is progressive self-revelation, a more and more perfect 
manifestation of himself. Nature is such a manifesta- 
tion — a revelation, an image of Deity. In a higher 
sense, man, the crown and king of Nature, is a mani- 
festation, a visible expression of the Divine nature, a 
revelation of Deity. In a higher sense than Nature, he 
is an image of God ; he is an image in flesh, an incarna- 
tion of Deity ; he is more, he is a child of God. In a 
still higher, in the highest sense, Christ, the ideal man, 



INCARNATION OF DEITY. 221 

the Divine man, the crown of humanity as man is of 
Nature, the Lord of both man and Nature — in a higher, 
a Divine, incomprehensible sense, is he the visible 
manifestation, the revelation, the incarnation of Deity ; 
in the highest sense is he the image of Deity, " the ex- 
press image of his person ; " in the highest sense is he 
the Son, " the only-begotten Son of the Father." Thus 
we find throughout all time a progressively more and 
more perfect revelation of Deity. As Nature through- 
out all time reached upward to attain its crown and 
king in man, so humanity has struggled upward until 
it attained its crown and king in the Divine man. 
Nature through all time struggled ever upward until it 
attained life in organisms. The organic kingdom then 
struggled upward until it attained rational life in man. 
So humanity struggled upward to attain Divine life in 
Christ. Is not the incarnation of Deity, then, in har- 
mony with all Nature ? 

Again : I have said that Nature is the image of 
God ; that, in a higher sense, man is the image of 
God ; that, in a still higher, Divine sense, Christ is the 
express image of his person. All revelations, there- 
fore, are images of Deity. It is impossible that man 
should apprehend Deity, except through images. In 
all ages, the human heart has felt this. In all ages and 
in all nations, there has been an intense yearning of 
the human heart for visible manifestations, incarna- 
tions, images of Deity. This is the rational basis of 
universal idolatry. Man must have, will have, an 
image of Deity. Not content with the images of Deity 
given in Nature, he constructs images with his own 
hands. In the higher forms of natural religion, these 



222 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

images are in the human form ; in the highest forms 
of natural religion, as that of the Greeks, they assume 
the ideal human form. From these attempts of the 
human mind to realize the Deity have resulted the 
noblest and most beautiful representations of human 
form which the world has ever seen. Thus idolatry, 
in its origin, is not, as many imagine, unmixed diabolic 
evil. It is rather the effort of the human mind to real- 
ize God. The human mind embodies its purest and 
highest conceptions in visible images, and then calls 
these gods. Nevertheless, these images of Deity, how- 
ever beautiful, mnst be caricatures of his infinitely per- 
fect nature. Now, this universal yearning instinct of 
the human heart, has it no corresponding objective 
reality ? Is it never to be satisfied ? Yes, like every 
other instinct, it must have an objective reality corre- 
sponding to it ; like every yearning of the human 
heart, it must have its rational satisfaction. It finds 
both in the Christ, the incarnate Deity, the Divine 
man. 

Incarnation, then, as all will admit, is in complete 
accordance with the revelations of Scripture. It forms, 
in fact, the central point of Scriptural revelation. The 
whole Old Testament finds its fulfillment, and the whole 
New Testament takes its rise there. Again, we have 
just shown that incarnation is also in accordance with 
Nature, both external and internal ; that it fulfills the 
demands of reason and the yearnings of the human 
heart. It is, therefore, the central point of all philoso- 
phy. Again : All ancient history, both sacred and 
profane, through prophets, through types, and through 
idol-worship everywhere, points to, and finds its fulfill' 



INCARNATION OF DEITY. 223 

rnent in, the same object. All modern history, too, 
takes its rise there. Long lines of light come stream- 
ing down the ages, converging and meeting in this one 
focal point. From this same intense focal point issue 
again streaming lines of light which, diverging, cover 
the earth, and are destined, eventually, to regenerate 
humanity. Thus incarnation is also the central point 
of all history. Is not this, then, indeed, " the light of 
the world?" 

Last of all : Much of what I have said is admitted 
even by the rationalists themselves. The day is past 
when skepticism sneered and derided the Scriptures, 
and Christianity, and Christ. On the contrary, it is 
now respectful, and apparently friendly, and even pa- 
tronizing. The old skepticism was an open enemy; 
the new skepticism is the false friend. It approaches 
with the utmost politeness, inquiring, "Art thou in 
health, my brother ? " and then smites " under the fifth 
rib." It says of the Scripture, that it is the noblest 
of human productions ; full of the most glowing poetry, 
the simplest yet sublimest narratives, the divinest sys- 
tem of morals. It says of Christ, that he is the great- 
est of all reformers, the grandest and purest of all 
human characters. It says of Christianity, that it is 
the noblest of all human institutions ; but that it is 
human, and, like all things human, it must pass away, 
and is, indeed, even now passing away. 

Their mode of reasoning is ingenious ; it is this : 
All things human are relative, and therefore transi- 
tory : every system of doctrine is true, and can be 
true, only relatively ; that is, for us, in our present 
state of advance. Every institution is good or bad, 



224 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

only relatively ; that is, for us, in our particular stage 
of human civilization ; and, therefore, that every sys- 
tem of doctrine and every institution is necessarily 
only subservient to the progress of humanity; and, 
having subserved that purpose, it must pass away; 
having run its cycle, it becomes useless, and is cast off 
like a worn-out garment, and makes way for some 
higher system or institution. These things, they say, 
are but agents of human progress — they are ladders, 
by means of which the human spirit climbs until it 
reaches the platform above, and then, being of no fur- 
ther use, are left to decay, or are spurned by the foot 
which they lately supported. The ideals, they say, 
which these systems present, are but goals on the way 
of advancing humanity ; we reach one only to see 
another ; we press forward again only to reach, to 
pass by, and to press still onward. Christianity, they 
say, is indeed the grandest of human institutions ; it 
presents the highest ideal ever yet presented to hu- 
manity ; it has been great enough and high enough to 
carry forward the human race for nearly nineteen cen- 
turies ; but, like all human things, it must pass, it is 
even now passing, away. It has accomplished its pur- 
pose ; it has finished its cycle ; it has carried forward 
humanity as far as it can ; it is even now dying ; it is 
already dead. So far from being any longer an agent 
of progress, it is now but a dead carcass about the 
neck of humanity, impeding the freedom of its onward 
movement. 

Now, the answer to all this is, it seems to me, very 
plain. Observe, we must reach the ideal or goal, and 
see another farther forward, before we can press on ; 



INCARNATION OF DEITY. 225 

we must climb to the top of the ladder, and stand 
firmly on the platform above, before we can afford to 
spurn it away with our feet, and before we can erect 
another and climb higher. The system, or institution, 
must have accomplished its purpose, before we can 
propose to ourselves a higher purpose. Now, is all 
this true of Christianity ? Have we, indeed, reached 
the Christian ideal, and do we already see another and 
a higher ? What is the Christian ideal of morality ? 
It is supreme love of supreme perfection, the perfect 
love of the absolute ideal, and love to our fellow-men 
equal to that given to ourselves. What is the Chris- 
tian ideal of character ? It is that which is presented 
us in the life and character of the Divine Master. 
Have these ideals, then, been already left behind, and 
do we see another and a higher ? On the contrary, it 
is not only yet unattained, but absolutely unattainable. 
Even the skeptic must admit this. It is an absolute, not 
a relative ideal ; it is impossible for the human mind 
even to conceive a higher. An absolute ideal ! What 
is this but a Divine ideal? It is true that all human 
institutions and all human systems must pass away — 
that they are good and true only relatively. Christian- 
ity, therefore, also, in so far as it is human, in interpre- 
tation of Scripture, in the forms of church organization, 
and in the forms of worship, is and must be subject to 
the law of change, q But the ideals of Christianity, the 
spirit of Christianity, and the truths of Christianity ; 
these are not human, but Divine — are not fleeting, but 
eternal. At; TO. 

The general law of development is one. As the 
gradual development of the organic kingdom through- 



226 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

out all geologic times took place, first by change of 
species into higher and higher forms, whether by sub- 
stitution or by transmutation, until the coming of man ; 
and then the progress is taken up and carried forward 
by the gradual progressive development of the human 
species ; so also the development of humanity, through- 
out all history, has been, first, by change of species of 
institutions, and the introduction of higher and higher 
forms, until the coming of Christianity ; and now the 
progress is taken up and carried forward by the gradual 
development of this Divine species of institution. 



LECTURE XIV. 

THE GENEEAL EELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 

My Cheistian Feiends : In all my lectures thus 
far I have tried to show a general accordance between 
the teachings of Scripture and the teachings of Nature. 
I have tried to show that the truths revealed in the 
one are also revealed in the other. But some one will 
say, perhaps many have already said : " Is there not a 
radical discordance between these two books in many 
passages ? Does not skepticism draw its weapons prin- 
cipally from the armory of Nature ? If some depart- 
ments of science and some departments of Nature seem 
to be in general accordance with Scripture, are there 
not other departments, especially geology, in which 
there seems to be a fatal discordance ? " It is indeed 
true, I frankly confess it, that, according to traditional 
interpretation of Scripture, there are many particular 
passages which seem to be in discordance with the 
teachings of Nature. But let me ask you, shall not the 
general spirit of the two books outweigh what seems 
to be the literal interpretation of some passages? 
Shall not the accordance of the two books, in those 
grand spiritual truths which form the basis of religion, 
overbalance apparent minor discrepancies in matters 



228 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

which are of little spiritual significance? Neverthe- 
less, lest some persons should be distressed in mind by 
these apparent discrepancies in particular passages, I 
have determined, in this lecture and the next, to take 
up this subject. It seemed to me appropriate that, in 
connection with, and introductory to, the subject of 
man, which will occupy the remainder of these lectures 
— man the crown of Nature, and the culminating point 
of the whole history of creation — I should say some- 
thing concerning the supposed discrepancies in this 
history, as recorded in the two books. 

Throughout the whole history of Christianity, from 
the earliest times until now, there have been from time 
to time collisions between religious faith and the pre- 
vailing systems of philosophy. We find it first in St. 
Paul preaching the unknown God to the scoffing phi- 
losophers of ancient Athens ; we find it again in the met- 
aphysical discussions of the schoolmen of the middle 
ages ; we find it again, and more severe, in the conflict 
between faith and the acute metaphysical philosophy 
of Hume ; and last of all, and most serious of all, in the 
conflict now going on with the material philosophy of 
the present day. The enemy has incessantly shifted 
the field of conflict from one ground to another. First 
it is in the field of metaphysics, then in the field of 
science. In the field of science, again, it is first in the 
department of astronomy, then in the department of 
geology and natural history. Wherever the intellect- 
ual activity is greatest, there we find the field of con- 
test. 

The general result of these collisions has ever been 
the same. In every case Christianity has risen from the 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 229 

contest stronger and purer, and is this day, I believe, 
stronger and purer than ever before. How different, 
in this respect, is it from all other forms of faith ! These 
simply succumb unresistingly before advancing knowl- 
edge — like shadows, or spectres, they simply disappear 
before the light of science. Christianity, on the con- 
trary, loves the light, seeks the light, lives in the light ; 
it loves the truth, seeks the truth, lives in the truth ; 
its Divine founder was both light and truth. Is this 
the nature of spectres and shadows ? Is it not rather 
the nature of a permanent living reality? The last 
conflict has been longest and most deadly. It is still 
going on. But those who have studied the history of 
such conflicts cannot doubt the final result. 

What, then, are the subjects of conflict ? What are 
the points of discrepancy between the two books ? We 
will very briefly mention the most important. 

The Scriptures, according to traditional interpreta- 
tion, seem to teadh — 1. That the age of this earth, and 
of the whole cosmos, is about six thousand years or earth- 
revolutions. 2. That creation took place by successive 
instantaneous acts in the course of six natural days or 
earth-rotations. (Let me here draw your attention 
parenthetically to the enormous improbability, not to 
say absurdity, that the steps of evolution of the infinite 
cosmos should be determined by the rotations of this 
our little earth!) 3. By traditional interpretation, it 
seems to teach that death reigned from Adam until 
now. 

On the other hand, Nature seems very plainly to 
teach the inconceivable antiquity of the earth and of 
the cosmos. Again, it seems to teach that creation 



230 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

took place, not by instantaneous acts occupying in all 
six natural days, but was a gradual process of becom- 
ing — each successive condition of the universe having 
come out of the previous condition by a gradual pro- 
cess of evolution according to law. In the third place, 
it seems to teach that death has reigned from the be- 
ginning of organic creation until now ; that death and 
life are correlative ; life cannot exist without its coun- 
terpart death, and therefore they are coextensive, and 
that during an inconceivable lapse of time. You see 
the discrepancy. 

I have mentioned these as the best examples of dis- 
cordance between the supposed teachings of Scripture 
and the clear and undoubted teachings of Nature. There 
are many other questions in which there seems to be a 
similar discordance, but they are not yet so perfectly 
settled in science as those mentioned above. Even 
upon these first-mentioned questions the dispute has 
not yet been adjusted, — even upon these the conflict 
still goes on. Or, if upon these the teachings of science 
be accepted by all the most intelligent theologians, yet 
the conflict still goes on upon other questions : it may 
be the universality of the deluge, it may be the unity 
or diversity of the human race, it may be the antiquity 
of man, or the origin of species. These questions 
settled one way or the other, as eventually they will be, 
other points of dispute will certainly spring up, We 
never can expect the conflict to cease, so long as 
science continues to advance. The conflict must be 
perpetual, and the distress and doubt occasioned there- 
by to the religious mind must also be perpetual, unless 
We rise to a higher and more philosophical point of 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 231 

view. It is the object of this and the next lecture to 
bring your minds to this higher and broader view. 

It is, of course, impossible, and would be useless, 
for me to take up each of these questions. If I could 
adjust these, others would quickly rise. My object, 
therefore, is rather to adjust, if possible, the general 
relations of science and theology. I wish to show that 
these two have the same general end and object, viz., 
the seeking of Divine truth ; I wish to change, if pos- 
sible, their angry conflict into generous emulation. 

The science of astronomy is so old, its truths so 
long and well established, and the changes of inter- 
pretation of Scripture necessitated by the discovery 
of these truths have been now so long accepted, that 
any attempt to adjust the claims of astronomy with 
those of theology would be considered unnecessary. 
We even look back with wonder at the disturbance of 
religious faith produced by these truths when first 
established. But with geology the case is quite differ- 
ent. Geology is born of the present century. The 
generation is not yet gone which saw, and perhaps 
despised, its helpless infancj 7 . It has advanced with 
such prodigious strides, it has opened such immense 
and unexpected fields of intellectual vision, its truths 
are of so startling a character, and have followed each 
other in such quick succession, that the popular mind 
is wholly unprepared to adjust their relations with 
faith ; religious faith has not yet been able to incor- 
porate these truths and to assimilate them to itself, as 
it eventually must and will do. Thus every step in 
the advance of the science of geology has tended to 
sap, and finally to overthrow, our faith in certain dog- 



232 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

mas concerning the antiquity of the earth and the 
introduction of death, dogmas which we have learned 
at our mothers' knee, and taken in with our mothers 5 
milk ; dogmas which, therefore, have been loved and 
reverenced as Divine truth. These objects of our love 
and reverence, these our household gods, these images 
of Divine truth (for have they not been proved to be 
images made by ourselves?), these images of Deity 
have been rudely torn from the sanctuary of our hearts, 
and by some inconsiderate iconoclasts in science have 
been even trampled upon and defaced. In an agony 
we are ready to cry out, in the words of Micah to the 
plundering Danites, " Ye have taken away our gods : 
what have we more ? " 

Now, my Christian friends, I do believe that we 
cannot do a man a greater and a more irreparable in- 
jury than to unsettle in any way his religious faith. 
Faith is the very fountain of all noble activity. With- 
out faith of some kind nothing worthy was ever accom- 
plished, either for this life or the life to come. The 
faith may be lower or higher. It may be only faith in 
self, it may be faith in our destiny, it may be faith in 
humanity, it may be faith in a loving heavenly Father ; 
but without faith of some kind there never was and 
never will be a noble or successful life. Life is noble 
in proportion to the nobleness of faith ; it is successful 
in proportion to the fixedness of faith. There is no 
form of religious faith, however gross, no, not even idol- 
atry or superstition, but is better than no faith at all. 
Superstition may be spiritual deformity, but unbelief is 
spiritual death. The light of science is indeed a glori- 
ous light — a light absolutely necessary for the perfect 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 233 

growth of the human spirit and its development into 
forms of perfect beauty and strength, a light absolutely 
necessary to the tree of humanity, in order that it should 
bear flower and fruit worthy of its divine origin ; but 9 
unless this light be assisted by the dews and showers 
of heaven received only through faith, it only scorches 
and withers and blasts ; where we look for luxuriant 
verdure and abundant harvest, we find only blackened 
trunks and naked, outstretched limbs — noble trunks, i\ 
may be, " majestic even in ruin," but yet only dead. 

I believe, therefore, it is the duty of every scientific 
man, who is also a lover of his fellow-men, to attempt 
to restore again the faith which he himself, perhaps, 
has helped to destroy ; to wrest again, if possible, from 
the hands of infidelity, the weapons which perhaps he 
himself has furnished ; to build again the foundations 
of faith upon a more solid, enduring, and rational 
basis. 

Now, I have long come to the conclusion that much 
of the difficulty and distress which many feel in regard 
to the discordance between science and religious belief 
is wholly factitious, having its origin, not in the nature 
of the subject itself, but in the irrelevant matter, the 
rubbish which has been gathered about the subject by 
bigotry on the one side, by conceit and vanity on the 
other, and by misconceptions on both sides. "We are 
so blinded by the smoke and the dust of the conflict 
that the true question is scarcely seen at all. Remove 
the rubbish, clear away the smoke so that w T e can see 
the question in its naked simplicity, and nearly the 
whole difficulty disappears. This has already taken 
place in the case of the questions raised by astronomy. 



234 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

It will gradually come about also in the disputes raised 
by geology. I wish, if possible, to help this process, 
Let me, then, take up some of these difficulties in the 
way of a true apprehension of the subject, and attempt 
to remove them : 

1. The first difficulty of which I shall speak, is a 
misconception, on the part of many religious persons, 
of the very nature of inductive evidence. A distin- 
guished theologian, one of the most distinguished ever 
produced by this country, once said to me : " My mind 
is open to conviction, I am willing to believe the con- 
culsions of geology if I am convinced by proof. Prove 
to me now this antiquity of the earth, this introduction 
of death ages upon ages before the advent of man ; 
prove to me even the great antiquity of man and I will 
not refuse to believe. But my mind is so constituted 
that I cannot assent unless I am convinced by proof." 

Now, this seems to most persons a most reasonable 
demand. Yes, in this age of Parliaments, of Con- 
gresses, and legislative assemblies, of court-rooms, of 
political clubs, and debating societies, in this forensic 
and polemic age, when even the most important truths 
may be discovered and settled in a half-hour's skillful 
argument, it may, indeed, seem very reasonable. If the 
question were a question of victory instead of a question 
of truth, to be determined by skillful argument instead 
of by laborious, patient research, if it were a question 
of intellectual wrestling, with judges of wrestling to de- 
termine upon whom the victory falls, it certainly would 
be a very reasonable demand. But to those who know 
that truth is not to be determined by debate, but by 
long-continued, patient labor, the demand indicates an 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 235 

entire misconception, both of the nature of the evi- 
dence upon which scientific conclusions rest— i. e., the 
nature' of inductive evidence — and of the very grounds 
of a rational faith in matters of science. 

What is the evidence in favor of any fundamental 
truth in science ? It is no less than the whole science 
itself. What is the evidence for the rotation of the 
earth on its axis, or the revolution of the earth about the 
sun, instead of the sun about the earth ? It is little less 
• than the whole science of astronomy. All the observa- 
tions ever made throughout the whole history of this 
science, and all the reasonings by which these obser- 
vations were bound together into one consistent whole, 
all point to this one conclusion. The evidence derived 
from any single fact is small, but the effect of the whole 
is overwhelming. But can all this be placed before the 
mind of an objector in the course of a debate ? The 
evidence cannot be appreciated, except in a very gen- 
eral way, even after a thorough elementary course of 
instruction in astronomy. It can be appreciated in its 
overwhelming fullness only by him who devotes his life 
to the investigation of the subject. The same is true 
of the fundamental truths of geology. Every fact ever 
observed and recorded in the whole history of this sci- 
ence, all converge and point to an inconceivable anti- 
quity of the earth and of the organic kingdom. The 
evidence, if once appreciated, is irresistible, but it can- 
not be presented in a debate. Those who doubt and 
cannot be convinced except by the whole evidence, 
must seek the evidence for themselves. If they seek 
earnestly and honestly, the result is not doubtful — it 
must be complete conviction. But the mass of men, 



236 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

even most intelligent men, cannot do this. Must they, 
then, refuse to believe because they cannot get the evi- 
dence ? By no means. This brings me to another 
point, viz., the rational basis of faith in matters of 
science. 

How many persons, think you, believe that the 
earth turns on its axis because they appreciate the evi- 
dence upon which that conclusion rests ? Certainly, 
not one in a hundred thousand. Yet all men believe 
it. Why ? Simply on the authority of scientific una- 
nimity. Whenever all men in all countries, who have 
studied any subject profoundly, have the same belief, 
the authority of such scientific unanimity is overwhelm- 
ing. It must and ought to be so. The world could not 
get on without such faith in authority. Such unanim- 
ity is a thoroughly rational ground of belief. 

We talk much, in this age and country, of the right 
of free inquiry. We often say, " Every man has a 
right to his own opinion." But, in a question of ex- 
act science, what becomes of the right to one's own 
opinion ? Suppose a man should say, " I have a right 
to my own opinion, and I believe that the earth does 
not rotate on its axis, but the sun goes around the 
earth." His opinion would only be received with ridi- 
cule, and he would be told that, if this be his own 
opinion, he had better put it in his pocket and keep it 
there like his other individual property, for nobody 
wants it or cares for it. No man has a right to an 
opinion when truth is within his reach. Opinion is 
subjective — determined by temperament, education, and 
prejudice, and, therefore, is always more or less delu- 
sive — truth -is objective reality. Opinion is human— 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 237 

truth is Divine. Opinion is individual property — 
truth, like all great Divine blessings, is the heritage 
of all 

Thus, you perceive that in science the right to one's 
own opinion has no place ; and the right of free inquiry 
must be exchanged for the duty of scientific research. 
But, in the higher and more complex departments of 
thought and activity, in those departments in which 
our passions and emotions are involved, in the region 
of political philosophy, and in moral and religious phi- 
losophy, we assert the right of free inquiry, the right 
to have our own opinion. But, why ? Because those- 
who study these subjects most profoundly do not agree 
with one another ; and, when the doctors disagree, then 
the people assume the right to think for themselves. 
But, if there were an absolute unanimity of belief on 
these subjects in all the best minds, there is not the 
least doubt that the authority of such unanimity would 
and ought to be complete, and free inquiry and indi- 
vidual opinion would no longer be thought of as a 
right. 

Observe, then, that the region of doubt is the realm 
of free inquiry and individual opinion. It is the realm 
of skillful argument and dexterous dispute. It is the 
region, therefore, that acute casuistry loves, because 
there it gains its triumphs. But earnest science hates 
it, for science strives ever to change doubt into cer- 
tainty, to change opinion into truth. 

Now, in regard to the questions so often mentioned, 
viz., the inconceivable antiquity of the earth and of the 
organic kingdom, and the creation of the cosmos by 
evolution, scientific unanimity is already complete, and 



238 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

therefore scientific authority ought also to be complete. 
No man who has not studied the subject profoundly has 
any right to disbelieve. A position of unbelief is in 
violation of the laws of reason — is irrational. Un- 
doubtedly, therefore, Scripture ought, now, to be inter- 
preted in accordance with these facts. Nevertheless, it 
is certain that, during the period of change of interpre- 
tation, Christian faith is always unsettled. The transi- 
tion period is always a period of pain. Evidently, 
therefore, the change ought not to be made until scien- 
tific unanimity is complete. In the questions mentioned 
above, this point has been reached, and therefore the 
necessary changes of interpretation ought to be not 
only made, but freely given in the Church, the Sunday- 
school, and the nursery. The question of antiquity of 
our race, far greater than had been previously supposed, 
may be also considered as nearly or quite settled. As 
to other points of difference, in questions not yet set- 
tled in science, our religious faith and 'our usual inter- 
pretations should not be disturbed. 

2. The next difficulty which I take up is, a mistalce 
on both sides as to the nature and object of so-called 
schemes of reconciliation. What is the history of these 
schemes ? There is an apparent discrepancy between 
the teachings of Nature and the teachings of Scripture, 
which pains the religious world. Some ingenious person, 
it may be a religious scientific man, or it may be a liberal- 
minded theologian, devises a scheme of interpretation, 
which satisfies the demands of science, and at the same 
time satisfies the minds of religious persons. Imme- 
diately this interpretation is seized upon as the only 
true interpretation — as the DiviDe thought itself. In 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 239 

the mean time science advances, new facts are dis- 
covered, and the proposed interpretation is no longer 
acceptable to science; the conflict is reopened, and 
religious faith again receives a shock. Again, some 
ingenious person comes forward with a nqw interpreta- 
tion, which seems to satisfy the demands of both parties. 
Not profiting by the previous experience, again every- 
body says : " Now we have the true and final interpreta- 
tion ; now we have the Divine thought itself. 5 ' In the 
mean time science again advances, and new facts are 
again discovered, and again the compromise is de- 
stroyed ; the conflict is reopened, and religious faith 
suffers a new shock. This has happened repeatedly in 
the history of science and the history of religion. Thus 
religion is placed in the humiliating position of re- 
treating step by step before the steady advances of 
science, and the faith of many suffers irreparable injury. 
Now, this ought not so to be. It is the result of a 
misapprehension of what is or ought to be the object 
of such schemes of reconciliation. These ought not to 
be regarded as a final or perfect interpretation of either 
book ; certainly not of Scripture. They ought to be in- 
tended only to show that there is no necessary and ir- 
reconcilable antagonism at all. For instance : Sup- 
pose we have an apparent discrepancy between the 
two books. The skeptic, on the one side, says : " The 
discrepancy is irreconcilable — they cannot both be 
true ; I will, therefore, hold to Nature, and reject the 
Scriptures." The theologian, on the other side, says : 
" Yes, they are, indeed, irreconcilable, and therefore I 
will hold to the Scriptures, and reject your science." 
At this juncture comes the religious scientist or the 



240 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

liberal theologian, and says : " You are both wrong, 
gentlemen ; the two books are not irreconcilable ; for, 
see ! I can reconcile them by this interpretation. I 
don't say this is the true interpretation ; but it is & pos- 
sible interpretation. Or I may reconcile them by this 
other interpretation. I don't say that this is the 
true interpretation, but only that it is a possible inter- 
pretation." Thus there may be many interpretations, 
either of which may reconcile the discordance, and yet 
none of them be the true and final one ; but they show 
that the two books are not fatally irreconcilable. 

But, unfortunately, instead of taking this view, 
most persons persist in pinning their faith to schemes 
of reconciliation. We will grapple the anchor of faith 
to the outer form, instead of taking hold of that which 
is within the veil. We will clothe Divine truth in our 
human clothing, and then confound our clothing with 
the spiritual reality ; and, therefore, when the clothing 
is cast off, we think the Divine Spirit is gone too. 
Alas ! how much of our pain and sorrow in this world 
is the result of this difficulty of separating substance 
from form ! Is it not this which barbs for us the arrow 
of death, which pierces our dear friends ? We associ- 
ate the spirit that we love with the form, the face, and 
features that we love, until we cannot conceive of the 
existence of the one without the other ; and then, when 
the form is gone we weep, because it seems to us that 
the spirit is forever dead also. Thus it is we will for- 
mulate Divine truth, and then mistake our formula for 
the Divine truth itself. Our faith petrifies into a for- 
mula, and when the formula is broken, alas ! our faith 
dies also. 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 241 

3. This brings me very naturally to the next diffi- 
culty. It is, in fact, already expressed in the last sen- 
tences above. It is the confounding of our formu- 
lated systems of belief with Divine truth, the human 
form with the Divine reality, our interpretation with 
Divine revelation, science with Nature, theology with 
Scripture. Let me illustrate by examples. I have fre- 
quently heard it said by religious men : " Your science 
is human, changing, fallible — you admit it; but the 
Scriptures I believe to be Divine, and therefore infalli- 
ble. If there is discordance, I therefore reject your 
science." This language indicates the confusion of 
which I speak. It is difficult, almost impossible, to 
avoid falling inadvertently into this misconception ; I 
may do so myself in the course of these lectures. Some 
of the best writers are guilty of this confusion of 
thought. I remember seeing some years ago, in one 
of the British reviews, an excellent article, entitled 
" The Bible vs. Science," and another, entitled " Gen- 
esis and Geology." These titles indicate the confusion 
spoken of. This mode of thought, and comparisons 
like the above, are so common, that perhaps some of 
you will be surprised that I take exception to them. 
Let me explain : 

The Scriptures we believe to be Divine. Science 
we acknowledge to be human. We cannot compare 
Divine things with human things, and therefore we 
ought not to compare science with Scripture. But is 
there not on the side of science, also, something 
Divine, with which we may without irreverence com- 
pare the Scriptures ? Surely there is : it is Nature. 
And is there not on the other side, also, something 
11 



242 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

human with which to compare science ? Surely there 
is : it is our theology, our system of religious belief. 
If we must compare, therefore, let us compare Divine 
things with Divine things, and human things with 
human things, the Scriptures with Nature, our inter- 
pretations of Scripture, theology, with our interpreta- 
tions of Nature, science. In this aspect of the case 
Science does not fear the result. 

4. Again very closely connected with this difficulty 
is another, which is the last I shall speak of this even- 
ing. It is the non-recognition of the sacredness and 
the D iv in e authority of the teachings of Nature. Many 
religious persons seem to say : " The Scriptures are 
sacred and authoritative. We must believe, our highest 
concerns are closely connected with belief or disbelief. 
But Nature is profane ; belief or disbelief of her truths 
is indifferent to our highest welfare." Nature profane ! 
There is nothing beneath the heavens profane, but vain, 
presumptuous man, who dares to call that profane which 
God has pronounced good. Both, therefore, are sacred, 
though perhaps in different degrees. Let us compare 
them with one another. 

We, all of us, speak of the Bible as a book ; but, in 
the sense in which this is a book, there are but two 
books — two Divine, original books, viz., the Bible and 
Nature. All other books, mere human productions, 
are, more or less, successful commentaries upon these 
two original Divine books. We have commentaries 
of the hrst degree. We call these original ; and, in 
the human sense of the term, they are so. We have 
commentaries upon these commentaries, commentaries 
of the second degree. We have books which are com* 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 243 

mentaries of the third and of the fourth degree of dilu* 
tion. There are some weak stomachs, for which these 
third, fourth, and fifth degrees of dilution of truth are 
perhaps best ; but, if one can bear it, let him, by all 
means, drink at the original fountains — let him study 
the two Divine originals. Now, the body of systematic 
human knowledge derived from the interpretation of 
the one book is called science / the body of systematic 
human knowledge derived from interpretation of the 
other is called theology. Both of these books have 
the same Author, and are, therefore, equally sacred, 
equally true, equally authoritative. Both of these 
books are Divine revelations. I have attempted, 
throughout this course, to show you that Nature is a 
Divine revelation — that the laws of Nature are but the 
modes of operation of the Divine intelligence, that the 
forces of Nature are but the omnipresent energizing 
Divine will, that even the objects of Nature are but 
the embodiments of Divine thoughts. 

Both of these books, then, are revelations, but ob- 
serve the difference in the mode of revelation, the differ- 
ence in the writing. The one is written in hieroglyphic 
characters, which it is the duty of science to decipher ; 
in symbolic characters, which have a necessary and an 
eternal significance ; in other words, it is written in the 
native handwriting of Deity himself. The other is 
written in arbitrary, conventional, human letters and 
human words, and thus brought down more to our 
human weakness. Both are revelations, but observe, 
again, the difference in their scope and object. The one 
is a revelation especially of the intellectual character 
of Deity, and only imperfectly of his moral nature— 



244 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

the other is a revelation especially of his moral nature— 
his relations to us, and our relations to Him and to one 
another, and only imperfectly of his intellectual char- 
acter. The one reveals especially his thoughts, the 
other especially his will. The general object is the 
same in both, viz., to elevate and cultivate man ; but 
one is intended to cultivate primarily the intellectual 
nature of man, and only secondarily his moral nature ; 
the other is intended to cultivate primarily his moral 
nature, and only secondarily, through the moral nature, 
his intellectual nature. The general object of both is 
to perfect the Divine image in the human spirit ; but 
the special object of one is primarily to restore that 
image in the human reason as truth ; while the special 
object of the other is to restore that image in the hu- 
man heart as perfect love. In a word, the one is the 
Divine text-book of truth, especially physical truth / 
the other is the Divine text-book of conduct and of 
moral truth. 

Now, of these two books, Nature is the eider born, 
and, in some sense, at least, may be considered the 
more comprehensive and perfect. To the ideal man, 
with his spiritual senses as acute and perfect as his 
physical senses, to such a man, whether we regard him 
as an ideal from which we fell, or an ideal toward 
which we rise — to the ideal man, I suppose. Nature is 
a perfect revelation of Deity. But, to imperfect, fallen 
man, with his moral nature obscured and his spiritual 
senses dulled, Nature is no longer a clear revelation of 
the moral nature of Deity. Therefore, it became neces- 
sary that another revelation should be given — a reve- 
lation more adapted to our imperfect spiritual con« 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 245 

dition, and revealing more clearly the moral nature of 
Deity. 

I have said that both these books are Divine reve- 
lations, both sacred, true, and authoritative. I have 
said, moreover, that Nature is the elder, and, in some 
sense, the more comprehensive and perfect. Do not un- 
derstand me, on that account, to assert that the study 
of Nature is more important than the study of Script- 
ure. Lest I should be so misunderstood, let me hasten 
to give you some reasons for believing the contrary. 

In the first place, I have already said that Nature 
cultivates primarily the intellect, while Scripture culti- 
vates primarily the moral nature of man. Now, it is 
his moral nature which is the distinctive characteristic 
of man. This it is which constitutes him man ; this it 
is which is the very essence of humanity. Without 
this, we might regard him only as an intelligent animal. 
So far as the intellect is concerned, it is not very diffi- 
cult to conceive a gradual evolution of man from the 
lower animals. It is the moral nature which is distinct- 
ively human, and therefore highest. The cultivation of 
this higher nature must be of the greatest importance. 

Again : The intellect cannot be said to befallen, or 
to be depraved. Pure intellect has no character to fall. 
Character, in the proper sense, is connected with our 
moral, not our intellectual nature. It seems to me 
that, in pure intellect, men differ from each other, and 
even from Deity himself (I say it with reverence), only 
in degree, not in kind. It seems to me that, in pure 
intellect, the image of God is still perfect. Thus, 
therefore, in all subjects in which only pure intellect is 
involved, in questions of pure mathematics or mechan* 



24b BELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

ics, one person may see, and another not see ; one per- 
son may see more, and another less ; but, whatever is 
seen, is seen alike by all. But when we come to ques- 
tions in which the moral nature is concerned, in which 
the prejudices, passions, feelings are involved, then we 
find that men differ from one another not only in de- 
gree, but also in kind, and all differ sadly from the 
Divine original. Not only one sees more than another, 
but one sees differently from another. The Divine 
image in all is not only defaced, but variously defaced. 
In mathematics and mechanics, the intellectual vision 
is clear and undisturbed ; but, even in the higher de- 
partments of science, and much more in questions of 
politics, morals, and religion, we look through the 
variously-colored medium of our passions, our preju- 
dices, our emotions, our temperaments. To illustrate : 
In looking at a mathematical or mechanical question, 
we maj T be said to look with our naked eyes through a 
clear medium. One person may see more than another, 
because he has stronger eyesight ; but, whatever is seen 
at all, is seen alike by all. But, as soon as we come to 
questions in morals, in politics, and especially in reli- 
gion, then every man at once puts on his own pair of 
pocket spectacles. These are stained, of various colors 
and various depths of tint ; they refract also in various 
ways, sometimes enlarging, sometimes diminishing, 
sometimes sadly distorting the object. Now, there- 
fore, we see, not only one man more sharply than 
another, but we see things entirely differently one from 
another, having different forms, sizes, colors ; and, alas ! 
the spectacles of some are so deeply stained that they 
scarcely see at all. 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 247 

Do you not observe, then, that in all these sub- 
jects, subjects which are most closely connected with 
our highest interests, the perception of truth depends, 
not so much on the vigor and clearness of the intellect 
as it does upon the purity of the heart. The truenes3 
of our perception depends, not so much upon the 
strength and keenness of eyesight as upon the clear- 
ness of the medium through which we look. Evident- 
ly, therefore, for the purpose of seeing truth in these 
departments, the most important thing is not strength- 
ening the eyesight, but clearing the medium — is not 
cultivating the intellect, but purifying the heart. In 
these subjeets we literally understand with the heart. 
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see 
God," i. e., shall see spiritual truth ; for it is only in 
that sense that we see God. 

Again : The intellect is native to this earthly clime ; 
it is indigenous here. Like our native forest-trees, 
therefore, it grows naturally, and without culture. 
True, it may grow more vigorously by culture ; but it 
is not wholly dependent on culture. The necessities of 
our material existence, the contact with the external 
world and with our fellow-men, and the use of the 
senses, produce, without voluntary effort, a large 
amount of intellectual culture. The larger portion of 
our intellectual culture comes in this involuntary way. 
There have been many great intellects that never had 
any other. But our moral and religious nature is a 
sickly exotic, transplanted from a distant, heavenly 
clime. It must be nourished with heavenly food ; it 
must be tenderly nurtured, and trained into forms of 
beauty; it must be taught to stretch out its tendrils 



243 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

and take hold of and cling to the Rock of Ages ; it 
must be taught to expand its leaves to receive light 
and warmth from the Sun of Righteousness. Other- 
wise it will take on monstrous shapes and ghastly hue ; 
it will seek to hide itself from the light, and bury itself 
beneath the earth. 

Again : The necessary condition of all our intel- 
lectual culture, and all that we call civilization, is the 
existence of social organization ; society, government, 
laws, Divine government and human government, 
Divine laws and human laws. Now, the very exist- 
ence of such organizations, of such governments, 
whether Divine or human, is conditioned upon our 
7noral rather than our intellectual nature ; and their 
successful operation is dependent upon the cultivation 
of our moral rather than our intellectual nature. The 
intellect is individual and separative ; the moral nature 
is combining and social. The universe of spiritual be- 
ings is bound together wholly by the universal moral 
energy, love. 

Thus, then, I have shown that the study of the 
Scriptures is for many reasons of transcendent impor- 
tance. But the study of Nature is by no means indif- 
ferent to the cultivation of our higher spiritual nature. 
He who ignores or despises the one or the other book 
dishonors the Author of both, and starves his own 
soul. They are both necessary to the highest develop- 
ment of our human nature in strength and in beauty. 

Both these books, therefore, are divine and sacred, 
but in different degrees. Nature is a grand and holy 
temple, built by the Divine Architect for his own glory 
and the culture of man. We walk upon this earth, its 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 249 

floor, and beneath its glorious overarching dome. As 
we walk, let us not forget to look upward and worship. 
Within this holy there is an inner sanctuary — a most 
holy, viz., the Scriptures. Within this again is revealed 
Christ, the visible incarnate Deity and the Atonement ; 
the glorious Shekinah and the Mercy-Seat. 



LECTURE XV. 

IHE GENERAL RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. — 
(COOTTNTTED.) 

My Christian Friends : You will remember that, 
in my last lecture, I stated that the antagonism be- 
tween the teachings of Nature and the teachings of 
Scripture is far more apparent than real ; that it arises 
in a great measure from the misconceptions and mis- 
understandings which exist on both sides, from the 
smoke and dust of angry conflict ; that if we remove 
these misconceptions, clear away this dust and smoke ; 
that if we rise to a higher and more philosophical view, 
and see the subject clearly in its simple nakedness, 
nearly the whole antagonism disappears. I occupied 
the remainder of my last lecture in stating and remov- 
ing several of these misconceptions. There are still 
two others which, without further preface, I proceed to 
take up : 

5. The first one which I take up this evening, the 
fifth in the series, is, I believe, one of the most com- 
mon and most prolific of evil. It may be stated, in the 
words of an objector, as follows : " Admitting that 
theology, like science, is only the human interpretation 
of a Divine record, nevertheless there is this essential 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 251 

difference between the two : Science, or the interpreta- 
tion of the one record, is confessedly imperfect — chang- 
ing, progressive ; while theology, or the interpretation 
of the other record, is unchanging and non-progres- 
sive, because it is already complete and perfect" Alas 
for the difference, if there be such a difference ! Sci- 
ence admits that she is imperfect, changing, progres- 
sive. She rejoices in her progressive nature. Truth 
is indeed glorious, but new truth is far more glorious. 
Her appetite for this is indeed insatiable, but the gran- 
ary from which she draws is also inexhaustible. Her 
thirst for this is indeed unquenchable, but the fountain 
at which she drinks is also perennial. The height on 
which she fixes her eye and toward which she climbs 
is indeed inaccessible, but every step carries her higher 
and higher, with ever-widening prospect, and a more 
and more exhilarating atmosphere. This it is which 
feeds the flame of her undying enthusiasm ; this is the 
secret spring of her ceaseless activity and never-tiring 
energy. But Theology practically asserts the finite- 
ness of that book which she believes to be a revelation 
of the Infinite One. She asserts that the human mind 
has already exhausted the treasury of Divine truth ; 
that the human mind, with its poor plummet, has al- 
ready sounded the depths of the Divine oracles. She 
looks forward, not with joyous anticipations of future 
progress, but with gloomy forebodings of future decay. 
She loves not to look forward at all ; she looks ever 
backward, and sighs after the irrevocably gone, until 
she is in danger of being petrified into a pillar of salt. 
The reasoning of those who take this view seems 
plausible. They say : " The object of science and the 



252 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

study of Nature is only to increase our material com- 
forts, to satisfy the wants of our material and tempo- 
ral life. Interests such as these may well await the 
gradual advance of science. But the study of the 
other book is connected with our spiritual wants, and 
with our eternal life ; and wants so urgent and inter- 
ests so vast as these cannot await the gradual advance 
of knowledge. Hence, it is necessary that this book 
should be so written that the interpretation may be at 
once complete and perfect." Such is the reasoning. 

Now, it seems to me that, in this respect also, the 
two books are exactly similar. As, lying upon the sur- 
face of Nature, and immediately perceivable by the 
senses, there is revealed — so plainly revealed that " the 
wayfaring man, though a fool, may not err therein " — 
sufficient for mere material life, sufficient to keep us 
from falling over precipices and into fires, sufficient for 
mere animal subsistence; so also, lying on the very 
surface of the other book, in the literal, obvious mean- 
ing of its words, there is revealed — so plainly revealed 
that "he who runs may read " — sufficient for spiritual life 
or salvation. But, as, in the former case, behind this 
mere surface knowledge, revealed directly through the 
senses and readable by all, because necessary to mate- 
rial life, there is an infinite treasury of knowledge, not 
for the wayfaring man and the fool, but for the diligent 
and reverent student of Nature ; not for mere material 
existence, but for gradually increasing happiness and 
comfort, and civilization and intellectual culture; so 
also, in the other, besides the knowledge which lies 
upon the surface, and in the literal meaning, easily 
obtained because necessary for spiritual life, there is an 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 253 

infinite, inexhaustible treasury of knowledge, not for 
the careless reader and the runner, but for the devout 
and prayerful student ; not for spiritual life only, but 
for growth in spiritual beauty, the beauty of holiness ; 
for shining like stars in the firmament of heaven. 

I repeat, therefore, that the two books are in this 
respect similar. The knowledge derived from the 
interpretation of both is progressive. If both books 
are Divine and infinite, and the interpretation in each 
case is human and finite, the human knowledge derived 
from interpretation of each must of necessity be pro- 
gressive. 

Science and theology, therefore, are both progres- 
sive ; but they are progressive in somewhat different 
ways. The one, science, is progressive mainly through 
the exercise of human reason ; the other is progressive 
mainly through the purification, by Divine illumination, 
of the human heart. To use the illustration of my last 
lecture : the one increases by the increasing strength 
of the intellectual eyesight ; the other increases by the 
increasing clearness of the medium through which we 
look. There is a Divine and a human element in all 
our progress, even our progress in science. Yes, pu- 
rity of heart is necessary for the clearest perception, 
even of the truths of Nature. There is a Divine and 
a human factor in all our knowledge ; but in science 
the human factor predominates, while in theology the 
Divine factor predominates. Science like a beauti- 
ful temple rises before us under the busy hands of 
thousands of eager, joyous workmen. Every stone is 
shaped and fitted to its proper place, and has the name 
of him who shaped it engraved upon its face. Thug 



254 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

we mark and measure, from day to day, the progress 
made, and to whom we owe it. ISyery column, pin- 
nacle and spire, as it rises to its place, is welcomed 
with shouts which rend the air. Thus, steadily and 
grandly the temple of science rises before us ; the great- 
est monument of human genius, the only temple ever 
built by man, worthy to be dedicated to the great 
Author of Nature. But the increase of spiritual and 
moral truth from age to age, like the work of God, is 
silent / noise and shouting and clamor are unbecoming 
so holy a work. Like the temple of Solomon, the 
sound of the chisel and the hammer is not heard. It 
is not built, it silently grows ; it is not a temple, it is 
rather a tree — a tree whose vital principle is the Spirit 
of God, whose fruits are love and joy and peace, and 
whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. It 
springs up, it grows, and shall continue to grow until 
its boughs shall overshadow the whole earth, and the 
weary nations shall lie down and rest beneath its 
shade ; but we, children of a day, we enjoy its bless- 
ings, yet mark not its growth. 

Admit then, only, the sacredness and the equal 
authority of those two books, admit also the inexhausti- 
bleness of both, and the finiteness, and therefore the 
progressive nature, of human knowledge in both, and 
it seems to me that nearly all the antagonism disap- 
pears. But, alas ! instead of this liberal and humble 
spirit, we find only conceit and vanity on the one side, 
and pride of opinion and prejudice on the other : the 
eager grasping after the new, only because it is new, 
which marks the sciolist, or else the obstinate cling- 
ing to the old, only because it is old, which marks the 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 255 

bigot ; l instead of that simple, pure, open receptiveness 
of mind, willingly embracing truth, whencesoever it may 
come, and however much it may run athwart our pre- 
vious opinions, which marks the lover of truth. Let 
me illustrate the unreasonableness of the position of 
such men on both sides : There are two streams of 
infinite length. Commencing from little fountains and 
rills, far separated from each other, they gradually 
form two great rivers, which we have the best general 
reasons for believing converge and flow together, and 
empty into the same infinite ocean of truth. We have 
as yet explored but a little way in the extreme por- 
tions of these two streams ; and, because, in their ap- 
parently devious course, and judging by our poor hu- 
man compasses, they seem just now to be diverging a 
little from one another, we immediately conclude that 
they never can converge again, that they never can 
meet, that they do not flow into the same ocean at all ! 
Verily, such fantastic exhibitions of human pride and 
arrogance, " in the face of high Heaven, are enough to 
make the angels weep." 

Let the scientist, then, beware, lest, in his eager 
grasping after the new, he mistake his unverified cru- 
dities for eternal truth. Let the theologian also beware, 
lest haply, in his blind and mistaken zeal, he be found 

1 The former class call themselves rationalists and s7ceptics, as if 
they alone used a rational caution in matters of belief. They are 
accustomed to speak of the other class, and of religious men gen- 
erally, as irrational and credulous. The truth is, both classes are 
equally credulous and equally skeptical, and therefore both equally 
removed from a true rational spirit. The bigot is credulous of old 
things and skeptical of new things ; the sciolist, or so-called skeptic, 
.s credulous of new things and skeptical of old things. 



256 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

fighting against God himself. Let him remember that 
the Divine Master himself was rejected by his own 
people upon (what they supposed) scriptural grounds. 

6. The next and last misconception which I will 
mention is, mistaking the Scripture for a scientific 
treatise, and therefore attributing to it, and exacting 
from it, scientific accuracy of language and statement. 
This, also, is a very common misconception, and under- 
lies, perhaps unconsciously to the objector, many of the 
objections to the Divine authority of Scripture. The 
result of this misconception is, that whenever the lan- 
guage of Scripture is found not to be a scientific state- 
ment, discredit is thrown upon its authority. Thus, 
for example, the Scripture says, " Steadfast as the earth 
which cannot be moved ; " and yet we know that the 
earth is spinning upon its axis, and rushing through 
space with enormous velocity. Again, the Scripture 
says, " The sun ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and 
hasteth to his place where he arose ; " and yet we 
know that it is the earth that moves around the sun, 
and not the sun that moves around the earth. Again, 
the Scripture says that the sun was created on the 
fourth day — after light, after the earth, after planets ; 
and yet we know that all our light comes from the sun, 
the earth was born of the sun, and plants are entirely 
dependent upon and derive their life-force from the 
sun. The statements of Scripture, therefore, it is said, 
are plainly contrary to the teachings of Nature, and 
thus discredit is thrown upon the Scriptures. 

Verily, this seems to me the flimsiest of all objec- 
tions. For, observe, the language of Scripture is never 
intended to be a scientific statement. The language 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 251 

of Scripture in regard to external Nature is always the 
language of the senses, the language of appearance. 
Is it strange that it should be so ? Is not this the lan- 
guage of poetry ? Is it not the language of oratory, 
the language of the imagination, the language of the 
heart, the language of the people ? In a word, is it 
not the language of every thing except only science ? 
Do we not all of us, every day of our lives, use this 
language ? Do we not also speak of the fixedness of 
the earth, of the rising and setting of the sun ? And 
yet no one accuses us of falsity. Even Science herself, 
when she descends from her throne, when she lays 
down her sceptre, and doffs her robes, must use the 
same sense-language. Even scientific language itself, 
even the language of Science when she dons her queenly 
robes, is only in a relative sense accurate. There is 
no such thing as absolute accuracy, except with God. 
All our language and all our knowledge is only rela- 
tively true. When we take our stand upon the earth, 
and speak of terrestrial things, then the earth is fixed. 
But as soon as we transfer our stand-point to the sun, 
then the sun becomes fixed, and the earth and planets 
move. But, is the sun then absolutely fixed ? No ; as 
soon as we transfer our stand-point farther, our sun 
with its system of planets, yea, all the starry bodies 
which form our galaxy, are drifting with enormous 
velocity through space. Where, then, shall we find 
absolute fixedness ? Nowhere except at the throne of 
God himself. 

Suppose it had been otherwise : suppose, for a 
moment, that the Scriptures had used scientific lan- 
guage. Suppose, instead of saying, " I set my bow in 



258 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

the clouds," it had spoken of reflection and refraction 
and dispersion of light. This would have involved the 
necessity of a Divine treatise on optics ; and this, again, 
another on mathematics ; and, in the mean time, the 
moral truths, the glorious hopes, contained in this 
beautiful passage, would have been entirely lost. Sup- 
pose, instead of saying, " Steadfast as the earth which 
cannot be moved," it had said steadfast as the sun : 
the explanation of language so contrary to the ap- 
pearance of things would have necessitated a Divine 
treatise on astronomy, and this, again, another on 
mathematics ; and in the mean time the moral effect of 
this beautiful illustration of the unchangeableness of 
Deity would have been lost. 

The Bible, therefore, is not, and cannot be, if it be 
Divine, a scientific book. Any attempt to teach science 
would show its human origin. The two Divine books 
have entirely different functions : they are intended to 
teach different things ; one to teach physical truth, the 
other to teach moral and spiritual truth. The Script- 
ures Were never intended to teach one single physical 
truth. We cannot insist too strongly upon this. There 
is another Divine book in which these are plainly, and 
in all their detail, revealed. If we want physical truth, 
there is the place to find it. The Scriptures, I repeat, 
do not teach physical truth ; they only allude to physical 
phenomena, because it is impossible to avoid it ; be- 
cause it is necessary to clothe moral and spiritual truth 
in this garb in order to impress the sensuous nature 
of man. 

This remarkable reticence in regard to explanation 
of external phenomena of Nature is the distinguishing 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 259 

characteristic of the Scriptures. Nothing of the kind 
is observed in other pretended sacred books. The 
rock upon which all such pretended sacred books split 
is the physical science which they pretend to teach. 
They pledge their divine authority to the truth of their 
physics, and are therefore overthrown by the advance 
of science. Now, if Moses were an impostor, or even 
if he were a great philosopher, mistaking his own 
imaginings for inspiration of Deity, is it possible that 
his opinions, or his imaginings concerning the phenom- 
ena of the physical universe, should not find place in his 
writings ? Is it possible that he should not have given 
a complete theory of the physical universe ? It seems 
to me impossible. Such reticence is sublime, it is 
superhuman, it is Divine. 

Now, I wish you to observe, then — 1. Natural 
phenomena must be alluded to in the Scripture ; it is 
impossible to avoid it ; all the grand metaphors which 
convey moral truth are taken from external phenomena. 
Observe, again — 2. It is impossible for us to avoid 
interpreting such allusion to physical phenomena, by 
the scientific knowledge of the age. But, alas ! — 3. 
We then associate in our minds this interpretation 
with the Scripture until we confound the one with the 
other. Thus, for instance, the Scripture speaks of the 
sun rising and setting; in so doing, only using the 
common, popular language of appearance. But this 
was interpreted by the early Church to mean, and there- 
fore to assert, the motion of the sun around the earth. 
Then, next, the science of these early times becomes 
indissolubly connected in the minds of Christians with 
the words of Scripture, and they thus unconsciously 



260 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

pledged Scripture to the truth of their science, and, 
when their science is proved to be false, the Scriptures 
seem to be discredited. So, also with the language 
referring to the creative days. In the absence of all 
knowledge of the geological history of the earth, it was 
almost impossible to avoid giving the ordinary sig- 
nificance to the word " days ; " but, unfortunately, by 
constant association of our interpretation with these 
words, the Scriptures are gradually pledged to the 
truth of our interpretation ; and when by the advance 
of science our interpretation is proved to be false, then 
Scripture seems again to be discredited. 

Now, as I have already said, there always will be 
apparent conflicts between the teachings of Nature and 
Scripture so long as our knowledge of both is imperfect. 
But, whenever there is such a collision, there is, it 
seems to me, one very simple, practical, rational rule, 
which covers nearly if not quite every case. It is 
this : If the question be a question in physical science, 
if the subject be one which is clearly revealed in Na- 
ture, then, without hesitation, I would follow the 
teachings of Nature, even though some scriptural allu- 
sions to natural phenomena by our traditional inter- 
pretation may seem to teach differently. And I be- 
lieve I honor the Author of both books by so doing. 
But if the question be a question of moral and spiritual 
truth, and the teachings of Scripture are clear and 
unmistakable, then I follow the Divine text-book of 
moral and spiritual truth, in spite of some dim intima- 
tions in external Nature and in my own intuitions 
which seem to point to a different conclusion. And I 
think I honor the Author of both books by so doing. 
Is not this reason ? Is it not common-sense ? 



RELATION OF THEOLOGY TO SCIENCE. 261 

Now, I believe this rule covers every question in 
dispute, and therefore removes every serious difficulty. 
There is only one possible class of questions in which 
there can be any real difficulty, viz., those questions in 
which both physics and morals are involved; those 
questions in which physical facts and plrysical state- 
ments seem to involve also moral and spiritual truth. 
I am not sure there are any such questions in dispute. 
Some persons think that the unity or diversity of the 
human race is such a question ; some think the ques- 
tion of origin of species is such a question. I do not 
think so. But, if these questions trouble any one, let 
him remember that they are still in the region of doubt, 
that they are still under scientific discussion, that they 
lack yet that scientific unanimity which would render 
it necessary to disturb our usual interpretation of 
Scripture. 

A few words upon the first chapter of Genesis and 
the Mosaic cosmogony, and I am done. It might be 
expected by many that, after speaking of schemes of 
reconciliation, I should give mine also. My Christian 
friends, these schemes of reconciliation become daily 
more and more distasteful to me. I have used them in 
time3 past; but, now, the deliberate construction of 
such schemes seems to me almost like trifling with the 
words of Scripture and the teachings of Nature. They 
seem to me almost irreverent, and quite foreign to the 
true, humble, liberal spirit of Christianity ; they are so 
evidently artificial, so evidently mere ingenious human 
devices. It seems to me that, if we will only regard 
the two books in the philosophic spirit which I have 
attempted to describe, and then simply wait and possess 



262 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

our souls in patience, the questions in dispute will soon 
adjust themselves, as other similar questions have al- 
ready done. 

Upon the subject of the first chapter of Genesis, I 
will, therefore, make only a few very general remarks. 
The first one is this : By far the grandest interpretation 
of this chapter is that which makes the creative days 
great periods of time. It is not only, however, the 
grandest, but it is also by far the most accordant both 
with the teachings of Nature and the teachings of 
Scripture, and therefore the most rational. That it is 
accordant with the teachings of Nature is admitted by 
all ; but many will perhaps doubt its accordance with 
the general teachings of Scripture — many regard it as a 
construction forced upon us by Nature. I cannot think 
so. For, observe, the word " day " is often used, both 
in Scripture and in common language, to mean an in- 
definite period of time. Observe, second, that in the 
poetry of the Scriptures it is nearly always used in 
this indefinite sense. Observe, third, that in prophecy 
it is always used in that sense. In other words, in 
subjects which lie within the limits of our human ex- 
perience, the word " day " is used in Scripture in its 
usual signification of a period of twenty-four hours ; but, 
in every ease in which the subject is one which tran- 
scends human experience, it is used as an indefinite 
period of time. Now, is there any thing in the Script- 
ures or in all literature which is more thoroughly and 
grandly poetic than the first chapter of Genesis ? Is 
there any portion of Scripture which speaks of things 
so completely transcending not only actual but all 
possible human experience? Evidently, therefore, the 



RELATION OF TEEOLOQY TO SCIENCE. 263 

word " day " not only ought, but must be, used in the 
sense of an indefinite period of time. 

But some will say that the exact sense in which the 
word is used is clearly defined in the fourth command- 
ment, where we are told to work six days, and rest 
one day in imitation of Him, because He created six 
days and rested one. But it seems to me this is a 
very superficial view of the meaning of this passage, 
and a very narrow and sensuous view of human imita- 
tion of Deity. Man is, indeed, made in the image of 
God ; all man's thoughts and all his works are worth- 
less, except in so far as they are images or imitations 
of the Divine ; every human thought is true only in 
proportion as it is like the Divine thought ; every 
human work is good only in proportion as it is like the 
Divine work. Yes, like, but not on the same scale — ■ 
like, but on a small human scale. Suppose it were re- 
quired of a man to make a globe. He makes it round 
like the real globe, the Divine work ; he makes the 
outlines of continents and seas, of bays and rivers and 
mountains, precisely as upon the real globe. If the 
likeness is complete, the work is pronounced good. It 
is like the Divine work, but not on the same scale — it 
is like, but on a small human scale. So must it be in 
all things. It is impossible that the Divine work 
should be other than on a Divine scale ; it is impossible 
that we should imitate Him except on a small finite 
human scale. Thus, then, as He worked six Divine 
days and rested one Divine day; so ought we in 
humble imitation of Him, but on a lower human finite 
scale, to work six human days and rest one human day. 
If we do so, we do well — our work is good. 



264 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

The next remark I make is this : Taking this view 
of the nature of the creative days, there is an un- 
doubted and really wonderful general accordance be- 
tween the record of Scripture and the record of Nature. 
The order of creation revealed in Scripture is the order 
of the evolution of the material universe and of the 
organic kingdom revealed in Nature. Is this genius ? 
If it be genius, it is a genius which has anticipated the 
latest results of science. 

The last remark I make is this : Such a general 
accordance is all that we ought to expect. The Script- 
ures were never intended to teach science; the first 
chapter of Genesis was never intended to teach geology, 
it was not intended to teach us the history of the 
earth ; it was not intended to teach any thing which is 
clearly recorded in Nature. If we wish to learn the 
history of the earth, there is already a Divine book, 
upon the leaves of which this history is recorded in all 
its detail, by the finger of God. Let us study it. 

But you will naturally ask, " Why, then, was the 
subject touched upon at all by Scripture ? " I answer, 
because of the moral truths contained in this grand 
sketch — moral truths which lie at the very foundation 
of all true religion, and which strike directly at the 
root of certain prevailing forms of error in philosophy, 
and in popular religion. First, it asserts that God, in 
the beginning, created cosmical matter — the world-stuff 
out of which the universe was afterward formed, in op- 
position to that philosophical error, pantheism, which 
identifies Deity with matter ; which makes matter 
eternal, and God only an impersonal, abstract principle^ 
pervading matter. Again, it teaches that God is the 



RELATION OF TEEOLOaY TO SCIENCE. 265 

former of the cosmos — that, out of the world-stuff or 
cosmical matter created in the beginning, He gradually 
in the process of time made all the forms which exist 
in the universe — that He is the ordainer of the laws of 
the universe, of the order and beauty of the cosmos ; 
in opposition to that other form of error, materialism, 
which teaches that all this is done by forces and laws 
residing in matter itself. Again, it teaches that God 
was the former of the universe according to an un- 
changeable plan, carried out through all time, and 
culminating in man; in opposition to the ordinary 
heathen ideas of the capriciousness and fickleness of the 
gods. 

But, T repeat, this was not intended as a history of 
the earth, but only as a sublime introduction to the 
history of man — man, his origin, his nature, and the 
scheme for his redemption. It is but a grand choral 
song, touching lightly the chief points of previous his- 
tory, in order to bring the audience up to the point of 
view necessary to appreciate the moral and spiritual 
significance of the great drama of human history. How 
grand, how noble, how fitting an introduction ! 

12 



LECTURE XVI. 
man: his place in natuee. 

My Christian Feiends : The subject of my lect- 
ure this evening is, " Man : his Place in Nature" 

As already often stated, there are but two Divine 
books from the study of which all our human knowledge 
is derived, viz., the Scriptures and Nature. Now, 
according to both of these books, the introduction of 
man is the last act of creation. According to both, 
man is the highest and noblest work ; there was a 
gradual progress of Nature which culminated in man 
as its crown. You have probably heard much in these 
later days of the antiquity of man ; but it is of no im- 
portance whether the human race be six thousand, 
or ten thousand, or twenty thousand, or fifty thousand 
years old ; all, I think, will admit that he is the highest 
work of creation, the last and highest term of evolu- 
tion. 

According to both books, again, there has been a 
gradual and elaborate preparation of the earth as the 
abode of man. This is most clearly shown in the 
geological history of the earth, because here we have 
the history of creation given in all its details. I wish 
I could stop to show you that the whole history of the 



MAN: HIS PLAGE IN NATURE. 267 

earth is a history of its preparation for man ; but I 
have much to say to-night ; I can only select a few 
striking examples : 

This air, which we breathe so freely, was in the 
beginning so loaded with poisonous carbonic acid as 
to be unfit for the sustenance of organisms. At this 
time, therefore, the earth was uninhabited. Gradually, 
by a subtle chemical process, immense quantities of this 
carbonic acid were withdrawn, and united with lime 
to form immense beds of limestone, which still form 
much of the strata of the earth. The atmosphere was 
now suitable for the growth of vegetation and the life 
of lower water-breathing animals, but not for the higher 
air-breathing animals. Therefore, when all was pre- 
pared for the introduction of these higher animals, im- 
mense quantities of carbonic acid were again silently 
withdrawn from the air by the luxuriant vegetation of 
the coal period, the carbon being buried in the earth 
as beds of coal, and the oxygen returned to the air. 
Again, during the Secondary period, and again during 
the Tertiary period, the same process was repeated : 
carbonic acid withdrawn from the air, the carbon laid 
up as coal, and the oxygen returned to the air. 

As, however, these are not scientific lectures, we are 
not now discussing the physical cause of this withdrawal 
— the process by which it was effected ; but we are con- 
templating the final cause, or the intelligent end or ob- 
ject of the withdrawal. There are some persons who seem 
to think that, as soon as we understand the physical 
cause or the process by which an event is accomplished, 
we thereby place it beyond the category of intelligent 
design— that physical causes displace final causes. My 



268 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

friends, we are placed here to study the modes of opera- 
tion of the Divine mind, the processes by which He 
accomplishes results ; but this can never interfere with 
our recognition of intelligent design. It is the domain 
of science to study physical causes ; it is the domain 
of religion to contemplate final causes. 

Now, the immediate end or object of the withdrawal 
of carbonic acid from the air and replacing it with oxy- 
gen, was evidently the preparation of the earth for 
higher and higher animals ; but there was another and 
more remote object which had reference to the coming 
of man. In the carbon, thus silently withdrawn from 
the air and laid up in the earth, was buried a mechanical 
energy which, after the sleep of millions of years, is 
even now awaking as the great agent of human civili- 
zation. 

Again : Tron, the second great civil izer of man — 
iron was originally universally diffused as an ingredient 
of rocks and soils, and therefore unavailable and use- 
less for human purposes. During the whole geological 
history of the earth, by a subtle process which is now 
well understood, this iron was leached out and accu- 
mulated in great beds suitable for the uses of man. 
Metallic ores were, doubtless, similarly distributed in 
quantities so small as to be undetectable. By a slow 
chemical process, yet imperfectly understood, these 
substances have been gradually leached out of the 
strata and accumulated in veins, and have thus become 
available for the uses of man. 

Again : Useful animals and plants — cultivated 
fruits — cereal grains — domestic animals — were among 
the last species introduced before the coming of man. 



MAN: EI8 PLAGE IN NATURE. 269 

And not only the uses, but the beauty of created things, 
gradually increased with the progress of time. The 
gorgeous plumage of birds, the brilliant hues of in- 
sects, the songs of birds, the delicate tints and fra- 
grance of flowers, all have been increasing. The same 
is true of the inorganic kingdom. By physical agen- 
cies which are well understood, the surface of our earth 
has been sculptured into higher and still higher forms 
of beauty. Indeed, currents of air and water, sunshine 
and shower, blue sky and snowy clouds, mountain and 
valley, crag and cliff, all that gives beauty and variety 
to this our beloved earth, has been steadily increasing 
with the lapse of geological time. 

If, then, God has been so long preparing the earth 
for man, how obvious, how imperative is the duty of, 
rational enjoyment — of grateful gladness of heart in 
the enjoyment of the uses and the beauty of this our 
prepared abode ! 

It is certain, then, that geological history finds its 
term, its completion, its significance, in man. Now, 
just where geological history ends, Scripture history 
commences. After a brief introduction, touching the 
salient points of previous history, and which, as we have 
already seen, is in striking general accordance with geo- 
logical history, the Scripture takes up the history of 
the regeneration of man, the moral and religious cul- 
ture of man, by the illumination of the Divine Spirit. 

But let us return to the creation of man. If we 
examine the Scripture account of this event, we cannot 
fail to observe that it is ushered in with peculiar so- 
lemnity and deliberation, as if it were an event of pe- 
culiar importance and dignity. On the evening of the 



270 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

sixth day — let me stop a moment to observe that, ao 
cording to geology also, man was introduced not in 
the present epoch, but in the evening of the previous 
epoch — on the evening of the sixth day, when all else 
was finished and pronounced good, God said, Let us 
now make man ; and let him have dominion over all 
Nature. Now, why this elaborate preparation of the 
earth for man ? Why this solemn deliberation in the act 
of creation ? "What is the peculiar dignity of man as 
compared with the rest of creation. The answer is 
contained in the account itself: "And God made man 
in his own image, and in his own likeness." And 
again it is said, He " formed man of the dust of the 
earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, 
and man became a living soul" 

These, then, are the two characteristics of man ac- 
cording to Scripture, yes, and according also to reason, 
viz., man is the image of God ; and man, though formed 
of dust, though common matter like the rest of Nature, 
yet is a living soul, i. e., an immortal spirit. All the 
works of God are, indeed, in some sense, in his image, 
but man is so in a peculiar sense. Nature is matter, 
God is a spirit. Man, though matter like Nature, is also 
an immortal spirit like God. Nature is the image of 
God, as every work is the image of the artist, receives 
the impress of his mind and character; but man is the 
image of God, as a child is the image of his father. 
Of all the works of Nature, man alone is the child of 
God. Of all created things, man alone can call Him 
his spiritual father. 

Now, of these two characteristics of man, one, the 
image of God, we have attempted all along in these 



MAN: HIS PLAGE IN NATURE. 271 

lectures to impress upon you. I have all along tried 
to show how profoundly true it is that man is the 
image of God — that his thoughts are true, his works 
are good, his life is effective, only in so far as this 
image is preserved. On this point, therefore, I shall 
now say nothing more. My object is to take up the 
second characteristic, viz., man is an immortal spirit. 

The immortal spirit of man — what is its relation to 
the animating principle of lower animals which so 
closely resembles it ? What is its relation to the vital 
principle of plants and to the physical and chemical 
forces of Nature ? In a word, what is its place in 
Nature ? This, and this only, designates man's true 
place in Nature. This is the subject of my lecture 
this evening. You will see at once how difficult and 
profound a subject it is, if, indeed, it be not wholly in- 
soluble. You will bear with me, then, if all I can do 
be only to throw out some suggestions which may 
stimulate thought — scatter some seed-thoughts which 
may germinate, and perhaps bear fruit hereafter. 

All that I have thus far said is only introductory 
to this my subject. But I find I must give another 
introduction, in order to prepare your minds for the 
views I am about to present. I find it necessary to 
show you the present aspect of this question, and the 
necessity of a rediscussion in the light of modern science. 

That man is an immortal spirit is the doctrine of 
Scripture : it is more ; it is the basis of all religion and 
morals and virtue, and, indeed, all that ennobles our 
humanity. It is also a datum, a clear revelation of 
consciousness. Belief in this is immediate, intuitive, 
and universal in all minds, unplagued by metaphysical 



272 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

subtleties. We may learn to disbelieve, we naturally 
believe. Belief of this rests on precisely the same 
basis as our belief in external Nature. The one is a 
direct revelation of sense, the other a direct revelation 
of consciousness. Both, therefore, are equally certain, 
far more certain than any thing can be made by proof. 
These are the foundations, the starting-points of rea- 
soning, not the goal of reasoning. They are the bases, 
the underlying condition of philosophy, not the subject- 
matter of philosophy. 

There are, then, two bases of philosophy, in fact, 
two poles of existence — matter and spirit. I say, two 
poles, for, as magnetism cannot exist as an effective 
force, except it be divided into two opposite principles, 
north and south polar magnetism, as electricity cannot 
exist as an effective force, except as positive and nega- 
tive electricity — so existence cannot be clearly rep- 
resented in thought except under the two opposite 
conditions of matter and spirit — matter the thing per- 
ceived, spirit the thing perceiving — matter the revela- 
tion, spirit the interpreter — matter the passive, spirit 
the active principle. Without a belief in spirit, there- 
fore, not only can there be no religion or virtue, but 
there can be no philosophy or science ; there is no longer 
any significance in man or in Nature. 

The existence of spirit, therefore, is certain, in spite 
of the negative evidence of sense, and in spite of what 
some think the counter-evidence, though it be in reality 
only the negative evidence of a material philosophy. 
But, ah, the power of this material philosophy in the 
present age ! The amazing progress of the sciences 
of matter, the absorption of the energies of the best 



MAN: EI8 PLACE IN NATURE. 273 

and most progressive minds in the philosophy founded 
on sense and sensuous experience, have created a 
current of thought, a tide of philosophy, which 
sweeps us along with such breathless speed that we 
have no time to think of the claims of spirit. The 
mind of the age is absorbed in new and startling dis- 
coveries in science. Every thing now must be expressed 
in terms of matter and sense, in the formulae of a mate- 
rial philosophy. But, alas ! spirit eludes sense and im- 
mortality transcends experience. Therefore, this phi- 
losophy will none of it, cannot believe in it. It may not, 
indeed, deny the existence of spirit; it only asserts 
that all positive knowledge is derived through sense 
and experience ; whatever is outside of them cannot be 
known, and, where there is so much positive knowledge 
attainable, it is a waste of time to speculate on subjects 
in which positive knowledge is impossible. 

Let me stop a moment here, to show you the power 
of this current, and the apparent naturalness of the con- 
clusion of the material philosophy. 

If we study man in full maturity and health, the 
manifestations of spirit may be clear enough ; but trace 
him back to the child, to the new-born infant, to the 
embryo, and back, back to the germ-cell, in which con- 
dition man is undistinguishable from the lowest forms 
of life. When and how, in this embryonic series, did 
spirit come in ? 

But, again, let us turn to the pathological series. 
Let us study man in various forms and degrees of dis- 
ease. There can be no doubt, I suppose, that what 
we call spirit is closely coanected with the brain. 
When the brain is disordered, manifestations of spirit 



274 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

are correspondingly disordered ; when the brain is in- 
jured, weakened, destroyed, manifestations of spirit are 
injured, weakened, destroyed. Does there not, then, 
seem to be a relation between spirit and brain similar 
to that which exists between every function and its 
organ ? Are not thought, emotion, etc., products of the 
brain as bile is a product of the liver ? Only the prod- 
uct is higher in proportion as the structure of the 
organ is more refined. 

But, lastly, let us study man in relation to the lower 
animals, in what may be called the natural history 
series. What is spirit ? Surely it is that in us which 
thinks and feels and wills. But, does not a dog too 
feel and will, and perhaps think ? What are the facul- 
ties of spirit? Surely memory, imagination, love, 
anger, are among them ; these are treated of in every 
text-book of mental philosophy. But have not the 
higher brutes clearly all these? There is scarcely a 
faculty of our minds, but something closely resembling 
it may be found in brutes. It seems to be a difference 
in degree rather than in kind. 

Thus, then, we seem to be driven to one of two 
alternatives ; either there is no such thing as spirit — it 
is a mere product of organization— or else it must be 
coextensive with life itself. 

But, suppose we accept the latter alternative, the 
difficulty does not stop there: life itself is only trans- 
formed physical and chemical force. There was a 
time when matter was supposed to be annihilable. 
When matter was consumed in combustion, it was sup- 
posed to pass out of existence. But, now we know 
that matter changes its form, passes from the visible 






MAN: HIS PLACE IN NATURE. 275 

to the invisible, but is itself indestructible except by 
the same power which created it. The same is true of 
force. Force and motion change their form, pass from 
the visible form to the invisible form, but are themselves 
indestructible. Heat is changed into mechanical force 
and vice versa, visible motion into invisible motion, 
bodily motion into molecular motion ; heat, light, elec- 
tricity and chemical affinities, are changed into each 
other back and forth ; but, amid all these changes, the 
same quantity of force remains. 

Now, vital force is no exception to this law. Phys- 
ical and chemical forces are changed into vital force 
and vice versa. As sun-heat, falling upon water, dis- 
appears as heat, to reappear as mechanical force which 
lifts that water into the clouds, so sunlight, falling upon 
the green leaf, disappears as light, to reappear as vital 
force which lifts matter from the plane of inorganics 
to the plane of organics. As, when fuel is burned in a 
steam-engine, with the formation of carbonic acid and 
water, the chemical forces of combustion are changed 
into mechanical force, so, also, when food is consumed 
in our bodies, it is burned with the production of 
carbonic acid and water, and the chemical energy of 
that combustion is transformed into muscular energy, 
intellectual energy, emotional energy. As the organic 
kingdom is so much matter taken from the general 
fund of dead matter, retained in a certain form for a 
little while, and at death again returned into the com- 
mon matter of earth and air, so also organic and 
vital force are so much force drawn from the common 
fund of physical and chemical forces, to be again at 
death returned to that general fund. 



276 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

See, then, how swiftly the current sweeps us away 
toward the dark gulf of materialism, and with it car- 
ries away all our hopes, our aspirations, and all that 
ennobles our humanity ! 

My Christian friends, my own scientific studies 
have been chiefly in the three series mentioned above. 
During my whole active life, I have stood just where 
the current runs swiftest. I confess to you, that, in 
my earlier life, I have struggled almost in despair with 
this swift current. I confess I have sometimes wrestled 
in an agony with this fearful doubt, with this demon 
of materialism, with this cold philosophy whose icy 
breath withers all the beautiful flowers and blasts all 
the growing fruit of humanity. This dreadful doubt 
has haunted me like a spectre, which would not always 
down at my bidding. But, in later years, I have learned 
to see that, for a solid basis of our belief in spirit, we 
must not look to reason, but must return again to the 
clear revelations of our consciousness and the still 
clearer revelations of Scripture. I have learned to 
recognize that a true philosophy accepts the revelations 
of consciousness as well as of sense, and strives to rec- 
oncile them; that a true faith accepts the dicta of 
Scripture as well as of science, and strives to reconcile 
them. 

This, indeed, is the only true domain of reason : 
frankly accepting the gifts of the several revelations 
as the materials of knowledge, it builds upon each of 
these a consistent system, and then strives to bring 
these systems into harmony with one another. For, 
observe, material science does not destroy the grounds 
of our belief in immortal spirit ; it cannot do so, bo 



MAN: HIS PLAGE IN NATURE. 277 

cause it belongs to a distinct system having different 
bases ; it only turns away the mind, and absorbs it in 
another system — it simply ignores it. It does not tear 
up by the roots the plants of faith — the tree of spiritual 
life — it only impoverishes the soil of our minds and 
hearts until they no longer flourish. 

After this long but, I believe, not unnecessary in- 
troduction, I again return to the immediate subject of 
my lecture. 

I have said that, in later years, I have been content 
to moderate the arrogance of my earlier efforts. I have 
learned to accept the existence of immortal spirit as a 
direct revelation, and my whole effort has been to rec- 
oncile this fact with the teachings of Nature. I have 
attempted to explain to myself, the relation of the im- 
mortal spirit of man to the anima of animals, the 
vital principle of plants, and the physical and chemical 
forces of JVature. It may be that my attempt is 
presumptuous; it may be that the state of human 
knowledge is not yet ripe for such an attempt ; it may 
be (but I do not think so) that my views, pushed to 
their logical conclusion, lead to some dangerous or 
fatal form of error ; it may be that they will offend the 
traditional beliefs of many : but I cannot mistake the 
current of scientific thought, nor doubt the necessity, 
either now or shortly, of such an attempt. "With much 
hesitation, therefore, I present my thoughts, hoping 
you will make every allowance for unavoidable imper- 
fection. 

As I have already stated, there are two poles of 
existence, without the recognition of which, philosophy 
ia impossible ; they may be variously represented as 



278 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

matter and force, or matter and spirit, or Nature and 
God. Matter is essential inertness, spirit is essential 
activity. The very origin of our notion of force is, I 
believe, the consciousness of our own mental energy. 
Matter reveals itself to our senses, but energy, or force, 
only to our consciousness. We then extend it to ex- 
ternal Nature. 

"What, then, is force, or the universal energy of Na- 
ture ? It is an effluence from the person of Deity per- 
vading the universe — an effluence closely connected 
with Him, yet distinct from his person. It is necessary 
to remember this, otherwise we fall into pantheism. 
What is spirit ? It is this same all-pervading force of 
Nature — this same Divine energy, or a portion of it, 
individuated more and more until it becomes a sepa- 
rate entity, a self-conscious person. The Divine Spirit, 
brooding upon primal chaos, communicated to it an 
influence, an energy, a life, call it what you like, which 
became the force of evolution of the cosmos, and still 
controls and maintains its beautiful order. A fragment 
of this all-pervading force, a spark of this Divine energy, 
individuates itself more and more until it assumes com- 
plete individuality or personality ; and then we call it 
spirit. Thus, spiritual influence, proceeding from the 
Divine person and energizing Nature, struggles on 
upward until it again returns to recognition of the 
source from which it proceeded. 

Let me explain a little more in detail. The natural 
forces are the Divine effluence, the Divine energy un- 
individualized, generalized. Now, portions of this all- 
pervading force, sparks of this Divine energy, com- 
mence to individuate themselves — struggle upward to a 



MAN: EIS PLACE IN NATURE. 279 

higher plane and attain life in plants. Again, by an 
inevitable law, a spark struggles upward, and, under 
the higher conditions of the animal organism, indi- 
viduates itself more completely, and becomes the anima, 
the soul of animals ; in addition to life, it attains sen- 
sation, consciousness, will, instinct. Again, a spark 
of the pervading Divine energy struggles still upward, 
and, under still higher conditions, completes its indi- 
viduality and becomes the living soul, or immortal 
spirit of man ; it attains, in addition to consciousness, 
self-consciousness ; in addition to will, free, self-deter- 
mining will ; in addition to instinct, reason ; it becomes 
a separate entity, a person. Thus, there has been, 
throughout all time, a gradually increasing individua- 
tion of the Divine energy, or the forces of Nature, 
which was completed only in man. 

I will try to make myself still clearer by means of a 
rude illustration. Let this water-surface, # $', represent 

Fig. 3. 



m © 



the general fund of natural forces, physical and chemi- 
cal. Under certain conditions, the general surface com- 
mences to individualize itself — is drawn up as a com- 
mencing drop, a / this represents the condition of the 
vital principle in plants. Again, under certain condi- 
tions, a portion of the general surface individuates 
itself more completely — is drawn up into a far more 
perfect drop, which already looks like a drop, b ; this 
represents the condition of the anima or soul of ani- 



280 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

mals. But, again, under still higher conditions, the 
individuation becomes complete ; the drop c becomes 
a separate spherical entity ; this represents the condi- 
tion of the living soul, or spirit of man. 

Now let us see the effect of death. Suppose in our 
illustration that gravity be annihilated, and only co- 
hesive attraction remain. If, in the case of a, the con- 
ditions of individuation be withdrawn (death), the 
commencing drop sinks back, and is merged into the 
general surface, S /S r . Again, in b, withdraw the condi- 
tions of individuation (death), and the almost com- 
pleted drop is again drawn back by cohesion, and 
merged into the general surface. But, in c, the sepa- 
ration is completed — cohesion no longer exists ; the 
withdrawal of the conditions of individuation (death) 
cannot affect the already separated entity. Thus, then, 
as the organized body by death is returned again to 
the dust from which it came, so organic forces, the 
vital principle of plants, and the anima of animals, by 
death are returned to the general fund of physical and 
chemical forces with which they are so closely, I may 
say cohesively, connected. But the spirit of man, 
because it is a separate entity, because its individuality 
is completed, is not affected by death of the organism ; 
i. e., it is immortal — it is capable of independent life. 

Therefore, as there are various degrees of organic, 
material individuality, the germ -cell, the egg 9 the 
embryo, the perfect offspring, and, of these, only the 
last is capable of independent life, so, also, there are 
various degrees of kinetic, spiritual individuality ; but 
only the last term is capable of independent life. There- 
fore, in the plant and the animal we have spirit in em- 



MAN: HIS PLAGE IN NATURE. 281 

bryo, within the womb of Nature, unconscious, inca- 
pable of life. In man, spirit came to birth, became 
capable of independent life. Thus, man alone, of all 
the objects of Nature, is the child of God. 

Or, to use another illustration ; in plants and ani- 
mals, spirit is deeply submerged, and, as it were, 
drowned in Nature, and in perfect darkness. In man 
alone, spirit appears above the surface and emerges 
into the light. It looks downward upon Nature; it 
looks around upon other entities like itself; it looks 
upward to the heavens above. It rises out of Nature, 
above Nature, and becomes the interpreter of Nature. 

As there are several planes of material existence, 
raised one above the other — mineral kingdom, vegeta- 
ble kingdom, animal kingdom — so there are several 
planes of force raised one above the other, viz., physi- 
cal force, chemical force, vital force, spiritual force. 

It seems to me that the whole significance of man 
is contained in, and necessarily flows from, this one idea 
of a completed spiritual individuality — a separate spir- 
itual entity. This separation is necessary to the idea 
of self — of the distinction of the ego and non-ego. It 
is necessary to man's viewing Nature objectively, and 
thus becoming its interpreter. It includes, of necessity, 
the idea of free-will, i. e., of a will not as it were physi- 
cally bound to and entirely controlled by the laws of 
Nature, but self-determining. It includes the idea of 
moral responsibility, for the spirit must be a separate 
entity before it can see its relations to other similar 
spirits, and to God. We have already seen it includes 
also the idea of immortality. 

Completed individuality — separation from the all- 



282 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

pervading forces of Nature — this is the distinctive 
characteristic of man. But, is not this, in some sense, 
separation from God ? Yes, it is severance of physical 
connection, in order that he may thus enter into a higher 
moral relation. I will illustrate again from Nature: 
As matter cannot obey the beautiful laws of motion 
determined by gravity until cohesive connection with 
other matter is severed ; as planets and moons cannot 
obey the beautiful laws of motion which constitute the 
harmony of the solar system until they are separated 
from each other and from the sun, and become separate 
cosmical entities ; so also spirit must first be severed 
from physical connection with the Divine energy before 
it can enter into higher moral relations with other 
spirits, and with God ; it must become a separate spir- 
itual entity, before it can obey the beautiful laws of 
moral order determined by love. 

Thus, then, throughout the whole geological his- 
tory, Nature struggled ever upward, to attain first life, 
then conscious life, then self-conscious immortal life. 
Man, therefore, is the term, the completion, the ideal 
of the progress of Nature. But does progress stop 
here ? By no means. Man himself takes up the prog- 
ress and carries it on. Where natural history ends, 
providential history commences. The history of re- 
demption takes up a new progress with a still higher 
goal, and Nature, under the guidance of the Divine 
spirit, again struggles upward and attains divinity in 
Christ. Thus it reaches the last possible term, union 
with Deity, from which* it originally proceeded. And 
we, too, by diligent culture of mind and heart, by the 
study of the two Divine books, we too must ever strive 






MAN: HIS PLACE IN NATURE. 283 

to share in this Divinity, to become partakers with 
Christ of the Divine life, to attain through Christ 
union with Deity. Union, but free union. Not loss 
of individuality, not absorption of our life into the 
Divine life, but harmony of our life with the Divine 
life through supreme love. 

Thus, as spirit struggles upward to birth in man, 
so the immortal spirit of man must struggle ever up- 
ward to attain the new birth in Christ. As Nature in 
geological history is full of types and prophecies which 
all point to and are fulfilled in man, the first Adam, 
so Scripture, or providential history, is full of types 
and prophecies which all point to and are fulfilled in 
Christ, the second Adam. As natural history finds its 
completion, its ideal in the natural man, so human 
history finds its completion and ideal in the Divine 
man. Finally, if it be our duty to enjoy with grateful 
hearts the use and beauty of this earth, our prepared 
abode, with how much more joy and gratitude should 
we anticipate the possession of those more glorious 
mansions prepared for us above ! 



LECTURE XVII. 



PEOBATIO]? OF MAN, 



You well remember, my Christian friends, that in 
my last lecture I stated, on the authority of Scripture, 
that the characteristic of man is that he is an immortal 
spirit in the image of God. This fact is clearly revealed 
in Scripture ; it is also clearly revealed in conscious- 
ness. It should therefore be accepted as the starting- 
point of reasoning and the basis of philosophy. But 
Nature, too, is a Divine revelation, and Nature reveals 
very clearly the close connection of the spirit of man 
with the animating principle of brutes, and through 
this with the vital principle of plants, and through this 
with the physical and chemical forces of Nature. This, 
therefore, ought also to be accepted as certain, and 
must also form the basis of philosophy. 

Thus, then, the domain of reason on this subject is 
narrowed down to the reconciliation of these two cer- 
tain facts. This we attempted to do by showing that 
the general forces of Nature are an effluence from 
the Divine person — that this diffused Divine energy 
throughout all time individuated itself more and more, 
until it finally assumed complete individuality- 



PROBATION' OF MAN 285 

separate entity or personality in man ; that through- 
out all geological times spirit remained, as it were, in 
embryo, gradually developing within the womb of Na- 
ture until it came to birth in man, and became capable 
of independent life. This idea of complete spiritual 
individuality, of separate spiritual entity — of capacity 
of independent life — this one idea I then attempted to 
show included every other characteristic of man ; it 
includes self-consciousness — free-will or free agency, 
moral nature, moral responsibility, immortality. In 
fact, all these are convertible terms — different modes 
of regarding the same thing— they each include all the 
others. I touched on this subject with some reluc- 
tance, but I could not avoid it, as it forms the key to 
all I shall further say of man, and particularly is it inti- 
mately connected with my lecture to-night, the sub* 
ject of which I now announce as " The Probation of 
Man" 

You are all familiar with the tragic story of the 
probation, temptation, and fall, of primal man. In 
whatever sense we take this story, whether literally or 
as an allegory, there is, without doubt, a deep philo- 
sophical truth contained in it. My object to-night, 
however, is not to speak of the form of the primal pro- 
bation, but of its necessity. 

Why, then, was man put upon probation ? Some 
will answer, " Because such was the will of God," and 
seem to think that this should put an end to all in- 
quiry. But the will of God is not caprice. I have al- 
ready shown that the will of God is the law of reason. 
There must, therefore, have been a profound reason, 
based in the very essential nature of man himself, 



286 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

which rendered probation suitable, and even necessary. 
"What, then, was the necessity of primal probation ? 
I answer: 1. Probation is a necessary result of free 
agency or free-will ; 2. Probation is a necessary ante- 
cedent, or means of attaining the true goal of human- 
ity, moral freedom, or holiness. 

1. Probation is the necessary result of marts free 
agency. Free agency, or free-will, as we have already 
shown in our last lecture, is inseparably connected with 
and flows out of the idea of complete spiritual individ- 
uality. It is, therefore, the distinguishing character- 
istic, the crowning glory of man. It is that which 
constitutes him man, which makes him the child of 
God. Is it, then, conceivable that man should be placed 
in such a position as never to exercise this character- 
istic power, as never to show his humanity ! If man 
is a moral agent, freely choosing good or evil, right or 
wrong, and this power of free choice constitutes his 
crowning glory, shall he not have an opportunity of 
exercising it ? Life and happiness consist in activity ; 
human life and happiness, in so far as they are distinc- 
tive, consist in the exercise of the distinctive powers 
of man ; and, of these, the most distinctive is free-will. 
Surely, then, man's nature demands an opportunity of 
displaying, of exercising this distinctive power. Such 
an opportunity is what we call probation. 

Probation, then, is inseparable from our moral na- 
ture, and especially from our material earthly life. The 
very significance of our earthly life consists in this. We 
are put here to exercise our power of choosing the right, 
and thus to cultivate our moral nature. Every thing 
is evidently arranged for this end, not only the nature 



PROBATION OF MAN. 287 

of man, but external Nature — providences, the Script- 
ures, all revelations, and, therefore, all means of cul- 
ture. 

Let me illustrate : External Nature is a revelation 
of Deity ; but this revelation is not so clear as to com- 
pel faith in all men, like a demonstration in geometry. 
On the contrary, external Nature is so related to the na- 
ture of man that it becomes a touchstone of his moral 
character. It depends entirely upon the temper with 
which man approaches the study of Nature, what his 
free-will chooses to find there, whether he sees there a 
living God or only dead mechanism. If he approaches 
with an open mind, and a pure heart, and a humble 
spirit, the revelation of Deity will become clearer and 
clearer, until " the whole earth is full of his glory." 
But, if, on the other hand, he approaches Nature, choos- 
ing and desiring to find no God, no intelligence, no 
beneficence, He will find every thing confirm him in 
his foregone conclusion, until he ends in confirmed and 
honest materialism. Thus, in Nature, God conceals, 
while He reveals himself — conceals himself from the 
eye of unbelief — reveals himself to the eye of faith. 
** Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 

Similarly, God conceals while He reveals himself in 
the history of our race, and in our own individual his- 
tory. Except from this point of view, how incompre- 
hensible seem the ways of Providence ! How often 
our most virtuous strivings fail ! How often the good 
and great man is cut off in the midst of his usefulness, 
and the vicious prosper even to old age ! How often 
the righteous cause seems to fail, while the unright- 
eous cause triumphs ! We can only exclaim, " Mys- 



288 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

terious Providence ! " It again depends upon the con- 
dition of our hearts, and in some degree of our will, 
whether we see in cur own individual history, and in 
the history of our race, a loving heavenly Father, or a 
God indifferent to human affairs, or no God at all. 

The Bible is, we believe, a still clearer revelation 
of Deity, but even this revelation was not made in a 
form which compels immediate and universal convic- 
tion. On the contrary, it depends upon the condition 
of our hearts and wills, upon the temper with which 
we study it ; whether or not we recognize its Divine 
origin. If we approach with a pure heart, desiring 
truth, the evidences of Divine origin will grow brighter 
and brighter to the light of perfect day. But, if we 
approach it in the spirit of pride, choosing to find the 
evidences of human origin only, we shall find what 
seems to us evidence in abundance, and we may even 
reach honest unbelief in its Divine authority. "We 
are given over to believe a lie." 

Observe, finally, the mode of teaching of the Divine 
Master. It is an epitome of all Divine teaching, of all 
revelation, and this becomes additional evidence of his 
divinity. He taught the multitude in parables which 
concealed, while they revealed Divine truth. You will 
remember his disciples on one occasion asked Him 
why He taught in parables rather than plainly. His 
answer is very significant : " That seeing, they might 
see and not perceive; and that hearing, they might 
hear and not understand." In other words, all his 
teaching, like all revelation, was of such character 
that it became a test, a touchstone, a probation of the 
character and choice of the hearers. If the heart were 



PROBATION OF MAN. 289 

good ground, the seeds of truth would germinate and 
bring forth a hundred fold ; but, if not, the birds of the 
air would carry them away. 

Now, suppose for a moment that all this was differ- 
ent. Suppose in Nature we saw the hand of God work- 
ing visibly everywhere — suppose that in every case 
vice failed and virtue succeeded, and happiness and 
misery were accurately and evidently proportioned to 
right and wrong doing — suppose the Divine authority 
of Scripture were demonstrated every day and to all 
men by miracles : is it not evident that the whole sig- 
nificance of this our earthly life would be changed ? is 
it not evident that there would be no longer any op- 
portunity of choice between good and evil ; that virtue 
would be compulsory, and therefore no virtue ? There 
would be no testing of our moral nature, no exercise 
of free-will, and therefore no cultivation of our high- 
est characteristic. Probation, therefore, in some form, 
is inseparable from a finite moral being, and especially 
so from an earthly, material life. 

Thus, then, all revelation, all the conditions which 
surround us, are so arranged as to compel free choice, 
to exercise our free-will. This earthly life is a school 
in which to educate our self-determining power ; the 
power to keep in the strait way in spite of solicita- 
tions to the right and the left, until solicitations finally 
lose their power over us for evil ; the power to stand 
erect in spite of forces tending to overthrow, until, 
finally, our balance becomes easy and even uncon- 
scious. In a word, this earthly life is a time in which 
man the child must learn to walk. 

Probation, then, is necessary to our earthly exist' 
13 



290 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

ence : it was necessary to primal man ; it is necessary 
to us now ; it is necessary always. But probation then 
was different from probation now. Then, man was left 
to his own strength ; now, we are helped because of 
inherited evil. Then, man must learn to walk himself; 
now, the Father stoops downward and holds us by the 
hand, and helps us to learn. The wayward, self-willed 
child must learn, by bitter experience, his own weak- 
ness before he will trust his loving father. 

Thus, then, I think it will be admitted that proba- 
tion of some kind is inseparably connected with our 
moral nature. It is necessary to the exercise of our 
free-will. Now, it is only by the exercise of free-will 
that it is possible to reach the goal of humanity. This 
brings me to the second point : 

2. Probation is the necessary antecedent to the only 
means of attaining the true goal of humanity, viz., 
moral freedom, or holiness. But, some will doubtless 
ask in surprise : " Was not primal man holy ? "Was not 
new-born spirit, fresh from the creative hands of Deity, 
holy ? " I answer : Innocent, but not holy ; and holi- 
ness is far different from and far higher than innocency. 

Let me explain : The ideal man is not what asceti- 
cism would make him, i. e., man, with his lower sensu- 
ous nature dwarfed or entirely eradicated ! No, the ideal 
man is complete in his humanity — every faculty, emo- 
tion, passion, appetite, perfect ; but each in its appro- 
priate place. He does not differ from us by standing 
on a platform above us, but, standing on the same com- 
mon level of earth, he is taller by the head and shoul- 
ders ; his lower parts on the same level, his higher parts 
are higher. Even the Divine Master possessed our 



PROBATION OF MAN 291 

whole human nature ; he was more human than we ; 
he sympathized more deeply with every feeling and 
passion of our nature than we do with one another. 
In the ideal man, therefore, there must be solicitations, 
yea, even strong solicitations of passion, appetite, self- 
interest, etc., but reason and will are far stronger, and 
control all. Every faculty, emotion, passion, appe- 
tite is present, but the lower subordinate to the higher, 
and all move in perfect harmony, making sweet music 
together. 

This spiritual harmony is the ideal. Yes, but there 
are two ideals — one from which we come, the other 
toward which we go ; the one which we have lost, the 
other which we ever strive with Divine help to attain ; 
one is the starting-point of humanity, the other is the 
goal of humanity. There are two kinds of spiritual 
harmony. The one is established by Nature, without 
our cooperation : it is spiritual health in which, as in 
bodily health, all the functions are performed in perfect 
harmony ; it is spiritual harmony, spiritual beauty, but 
not ours. The other is self-determined, is made ours 
by the free choice of our free-wills. The former is in- 
nocency ; the latter is moral freedom — holiness. 

There is an absolute unity in Nature. The law of 
the whole is epitomized in the parts. The law of de- 
velopment of the human race is epitomized in the law 
of development of the individual. Now, as, in the de- 
velopment of the individual, we have first the innocency, 
the perfect harmony of childhood ; then, free-will en- 
tering as a disturbing element, introducing anarchy and 
confusion ; then, finally, under favorable conditions, by 
the exercise of the same free-will, and with Divine help g 



292 RELIGION AND SCIENCE, 

we reestablish (but, alas ! imperfectly) a higher har- 
mony — Christian freedom — holiness ; so, in the devel- 
opment of the human race, we commence with inno- 
cency — yes, even though the human spirit were evolved 
from the forces of Nature, it could inherit from Nature 
only harmony, i. e., innocency — we commence first with 
irmocency ; then free-will enters as a disturbing ele- 
ment, introducing anarchy and confusion, and yet it is 
only by the exercise of free-will, with Divine help, that 
the race also must attain its goal — moral freedom — 
holiness. This condition of humanity is the kingdom 
of God for which we daily pray. 

Thus, then, while in Nature there is but one kind 
of harmony, the natural, established by God alone, 
in man there are two kinds, the natural and the 
moral. The one is preestablished by and inherited 
from Nature, the other is self-determined by the free- 
will. The one is according to the law of instinct; the 
other is according to the law of the self-conscious 
reason. The one is a passive condition, like the har- 
mony of the spheres, like the harmony of the healthy 
body, beautiful, but established by Deity, and there- 
fore not ours ; the other is an active condition ; it is a 
similar harmony (for Nature is true), but understood 
by the reason, or else accepted by faith, and made our 
own by free choice. Again, I repeat, the one is inno- 
cency, the other is moral freedom — holiness. 

Freedom ! Oh, my friends, does not every gener- 
ous heart, sigh and pant for this ? Do not our hearts 
tell us that this is the true goal of all our striv- 
ings, both as individuals and as a race? But let us 
not mistake its nature. True moral freedom in the 



PROBATION OF MAN. 293 

individual is that condition of the soul in which all the 
faculties and powers move freely and consciously to- 
gether in perfect harmony, and in accordance with 
Divine law. In the race, it is that condition in which 
all the members of society move freely together in per- 
fect accordance with the same law. This, alone, is true 
freedom, the goal of humanity ; all other freedoms, so 
called, are good only in so far as they are helps to the 
attainment of this. 

But, observe, I said ^freely in accordance with Di- 
vine law." Innocency, too, is in accordance with Di- 
vine law ; but not freely, not consciously — not by our 
choice. Innocency is perfect equilibrium, but unstable 
because determined by external conditions and forces. 
Freedom is stable, because determined by internal 
forces ; because reason understands, and the will freely 
chooses the laws of equilibrium. Innocency stands 
erect because nicely balanced ; freedom is self-righting, 
and therefore stands firmly, and without danger of 
overthrow. Innocency is indeed beautiful — beautiful 
like the order of the cosmos, like the harmony of the 
healthy body, but as far more beautiful than these as 
spirit is higher and nobler than matter. In proportion 
to the purity of our hearts, do we love to contemplate 
the beauty of innocency in children, as the type and 
image of our unattained freedom. But moral freedom, 
or holiness, is far more beautiful still. The type of the 
one is Adam, the type of the other is Christ. 

As geological historj- developing through infinite 
ages reached its goal in man, so human history must 
ever strive to reach its goal in the freeman. As Nature 
through infinite ages struggled upward to attain life in 



294 RELIGION- AND SCIENCE. 

plants, then will in animals, and finally free-will in man, 
so man, by the exercise of free-will, and with Divine 
help, must ever strive to attain moral freedom, or ho- 
liness. 

But, perhaps, it will be asked by some : " You say 
probation is inseparably connected with our moral 
nature, and especially our earthly life ; suppose, then, 
primal man had not fallen, would each man still be 
upon probation ? If primal man had passed from in- 
nocency, by the exercise of free-will, directly to holiness, 
would each of us still be upon probation ? " My friends, 
I know not whether we can make such a supposition — 
I know not how far the fall of man is connected with 
the necessary laws of evolution of the human race from 
innocency to freedom. I know not how far the free- 
will of primal man may have determined the direction 
of that evolution ; this question is but one branch of 
that deeper question, the relation of free-will to inva- 
riable law ; a question which I will discuss in my next 
lecture. But the will of man being free, it is at least 
conceivable that the result might have been different ; 
in that case the question recurs, Would we still be on 
probation ? I answer, undoubtedly so ; although the 
conditions of probation would then be different from 
those of probation now, and both different from that of 
primal man. It is impossible to conceive of the earthly 
life of a moral being which is not a probation in some 
sense. 

But would each individual man be liable then to 
failure ? I answer, No ; for, though innocency is un- 
stable, moral freedom is stable. We have seen that 
the law of development of the race is similar to the 



PROBATION OF MAN. 295 

law of development of the individual. A holy race is 
therefore stable, as well as a holy individual. In fact, 
the race in some sense is an individual through the 
law of heredity — that law so freighted with blessing 
or with curse. The same law, therefore, which now 
makes individual probation, without help, certain fail- 
ure through inherited weakness, evil, discord, would 
then make individual probation certain success through 
inherited strength, virtue, holiness. As wealth and its 
opposite, debt, are the accumulated results of well- 
directed or misdirected material activity, so holiness 
and unholiness are also the accumulated results of well- 
directed or misdirected free-will. But as wealth or 
debt is partly inherited and partly individual accumula- 
tion, so also holiness or unholiness is partly an in- 
herited and partly an individually acquired condition. 
The same law, therefore, which now through inherited 
debt makes us all harikrupts^ would then through in- 
herited wealth make us all heirs of heaven. 



LECTURE XYI1I. 

PBEDESTrSATTOIS" A1TD FKEE-WILL. 

You will remember, my Christian friends, that in 
my last lecture I tried to show that free agency or 
free-will is an essential characteristic of man — it is that 
which constitutes his moral nature, that which con- 
stitutes him man, and that which makes him a spiritual 
child of God ; that it is by the exercise of this that 
man passes from innocency to moral freedom, the true 
goal of humanity. The essential nature of man, there- 
fore, consists in free-will. 

But, in one of my early lectures, I showed that the 
essential nature of Deity is absolute, unconditioned 
Being — all- sustaining, all-embracing, all-controlling — 
Being in whom all things exist, and by whom ail events 
happen. All revelation, both Scriptural and natural, 
reveals this as the essential nature of Deity. 

Now, the question arises : " How does this absolute, 
all-controlling sovereignty, which is the essential nature 
of Deity, consist with free-will, which is the essential 
nature of man ? Does not the former exclude and 
annihilate the latter ? Does not the latter limit the 
former ? " This question is the subject of my lecture 
this evening. In religious philosophy, it is the question 



PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL. 295 

of absolute sovereignty of Deity in relation to free-will 
of man, or predestination and free agency ; in scientific 
philosophy, it is free-will of man in the presence of 
universal and invariable law. 

My friends, tliis is the deepest question in all phi- 
losophy. Its true solution lies far above us, in the 
region of the unconditioned ; we strive in vain to em- 
brace and comprehend it with our finite minds. All 
we can expect to do, as we strain our eyes in upward 
gaze, is, in our highest moments, to catch some glimpses 
of partial truth ; from different points of view, to catch 
some broken lights glancing from its many-sided sur- 
face. But no human mind has yet been able to take 
these views from different points, and stereoscopically 
combine them into clear, objective reality, to unite 
these partial truths into clear, philosophic comprehen- 
sion. 

The fragmentary thoughts which I throw out on 
this subject are mostly the result of my own unassisted 
thinking ; my pursuits having been of such nature as 
to lead me away from profound metaphysical studies. 
I hope you will not think I mention this in the way 
of boast ; on the contrary, I do so by way of apology 
for what may seem crude. I know too well that no 
man can think maturely unless he thinks in the light 
of other men's thoughts. Nevertheless, I hope some 
of my thoughts may be of interest in so far as they 
present the subject from an unusual point of view. 

I have already said I am unable to give you any 
thing but partial views from different points. Three 
such I will attempt to present to-night. I wish to 
show — 1. That, from the absolute Divine point of view, 



298 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

the question lies entirely beyond and above the plane 
of human thought ; that — 2. From a human or more 
properly a Divine-human point of view, we catch some 
glimpses of a true solution, but — 3. That, whether expli- 
cable or not, both sides are in some sense true, and a 
belief in both absolutely necessary to a religion at the 
same time pure and practical. 

1. The absolute Divine point of mew. In one of 
our earlier lectures, we spoke of eternity as an essential 
attribute of Deity ; but few persons, I believe, reflect 
on the meaning of eternity in this connection. The 
words time and eternity are used in popular and in 
philosophic language in different senses. In popular 
language, time is a world of sense, eternity a world 
of spirit; time a present state of existence, eternity a 
future state of existence. But in philosophic language 
time is duration, or continuity of existence, and eternity 
is infinite time. This is man's eternity, eternity as it 
can be conceived by finite minds. But eternity, as an 
attribute of Deity, God's eternity, is something far dif- 
c erent from this. 

Time may be likened to an infinite stream on which 
we finite beings float helpless. We cannot go back- 
ward or forward, except as we are carried ; we exist 
only in one spot, the now. Is God also floating help- 
lessly on such a stream ? Impossible. To Him there 
is no stream, for Him there is no such thing as time. 
He is unconditioned by time ; this is his eternity. 
Time is a condition of finite existence, yea, of finite 
thought ; but not of his absolute being. For Him there 
is no past, nor present, nor future. ■ In the light of this 
thought, what becomes of all our vain wrangling^, oui 



PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL. 299 

"reasonings high, of providence, foreknowledge, will, 
and fate ? " Foreknowledge : this is the language of 
time, and He is unconditioned by time. Predestination, 
fore-ordination : again the language of time in connec- 
tion with Him for whom there is no such thing as time. 
We cannot speak of Him, we cannot even think of 
Him, except under the condition of time. If we try to 
think of the unconditioned, our effort ends in simple 
mental paralysis. How, then, shall we think of his rela- 
tion to us, except in such terms as He has revealed it ? 

Divine - human point of view. All revelations 
from God to man must be presented in this Divine-hu- 
man point of view. It is most perfectly realized in the 
person of the Divine Master. This, therefore, is the 
truest and most practical point of view for us. From 
this point of view, it seems to me, some real glimpses 
of a true solution may be gotten. 

There is nothing which Nature so clearly reveals, 
and upon which science so strongly insists, as the uni- 
versal reign of law, absolute, universal, invariable law 
— law, the symbol of the Divine sovereignty, and the 
expression of the perfect Divine nature — universal be- 
cause He is omnipresent, invariable because He is un- 
changeable. Science and theology agree that this is 
necessary to a just conception of Deity. "We, indeed, 
think and speak of the forces of Nature as efficient 
agents controlling the phenomena of Nature ; but this 
is only a scientific formula necessary for greater clear- 
ness of thought. In the highest and truest philosophy, 
the forces of Nature are but the omnipresent energy 
of Deity, the expression of his will ; the laws of Na- 
ture are but the modes of operation of that energy, and 



800 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

therefore of his will; the objects of Nature are em* 
bodiments, incarnations of his thoughts ; events and 
phenomena take place only by and according to law, 
and therefore according to his will. Thus, regarding 
the forces of Nature as an effluence from the Divine 
person, we may say that God himself works in Nature 
only within the limits of law. He cannot do other- 
wise (I speak it with reverence), He cannot violate law, 
because lav/ is the expression of his will, and his will 
is the law of "reason. Not one jot or tittle of the laws 
of Nature are unfulfilled. 

I do not believe it is possible to state this fact too 
strongly : Law, universal and invariable, in the realm 
of external Nature — law, universal and invariable, in 
the realm of human history — law, universal and inva- 
riable — yes, it must be so — in the realm of individual 
consciousness. Every thing happens according to law, 
and, since law is the expression of Divine will, every 
thing happens according to Divine will, i. e.,is in some 
sense ordained, decreed. (A fc^i& 4&&M4 

You will ask, then, dees not this absolute univer- 
sality and invariability of law in every realm of Nature, 
extending even to the inner realm of consciousness it- 
self, annihilate the free-will of man ? I answer, No ; it 
only limits free- will to its legitimate domain. 

Laws of Nature, of society, and of our own nature, 
laws physical and moral, limit us on every side; to 
the depraved, the lawless, the wicked, these limits are 
prison-bounds against which the caged spirit chafes 
ceaselessly but vainly. Such a spirit is morally in a 
state of bondage. But, to the ideal man, these limits 
are free limits. He lovingly recognizes the limiting 



PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL. 301 

law, and makes it the law of his will. His state is 
that of freedom. The will of man, therefore, is free 
only within the bounds of 'law. fe&f** ■*■* ^-f 

I wish now to show how law may be invariable and 
universal in every realm, and yet man's will be free. 

(a.) Free-will acting in the realm of external Na- 
ture. I think yon will all admit that, in external Na- 
ture, law is universal and invariable, so invariable that 
a perfect science would be able to predict every future 
event with absolute certainty. Already we know that 
the most perfect department of science, astronomy, 
predicts phenomena a hundred or a thousand years in 
the future. Now, there can be no doubt that, were 
the physics of the earth and air equally perfect, winds 
and storms, and cold and rain, and volcanic eruptions 
and earthquakes, might be predicted with equal cer- 
tainty as eclipses. Yet man's free-will acts and de- 
termines phenomena in the realm of external Nature, 
and that, too, without violating any law. 

Let me explain : Law is invariable, but phenomena 
are variable, because determined by the variable condi- 
tions under which law operates. Therefore, the do- 
main of free-will is to arrange conditions, and thus de- 
termine the mode of operation of law. Intelligent 
action, in the presence of laws which cannot be changed, 
is what we call contrivance. Man cannot accomplish 
results directly, for this is creation; he accomplishes 
them indirectly by contrivance. So far from violating 
law, contrivance is an indirect method of making use of 
law, and success or failure is in proportion to knowl- 
edge or ignorance of laws, and to skillful or unskillful 
arrangement of conditions. Therefore, it is evident 



302 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

that invariable law in the realm of Nature only limits, 
but does not destroy, the free-will of man acting in the 
realm of Nature. 

{p.) Free-will acting in the realm of society ', his- 
tory, on our fellow-men. All recognize invariability of 
law in external Nature, but it is not so generally recog- 
nized in society — social phenomena seem so variable, 
so lawless. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that 
all social phenomena, marriages, births, deaths, crimes, 
suicides, insanity, forms of government, revolutions, 
successful and unsuccessful, all are subject to invariable 
law, and, if sociology were as perfect as astronomy, we 
might predict these also. Yet this invariability of law 
does not destroy the free-will of man in the realm of 
society ; and, moreover, the domain of free-will here is 
very similar to its domain in Nature. 

Let me again explain : As physical forces act in 
Nature, so moral powers or forces act in society. 
These are called motives. As free-will determines phe- 
nomena in Nature, not by changing law, but by arrang- 
ing physical forces and conditions, so our free-will acts 
on our fellow-man, by arranging moral forces and mor- 
al conditions, by skillful marshaling of motives, by 
influence, by persuasion ; not directly, but by moral con- 
trivance. In this case as in the other, our success in 
determining any result, any line of conduct, will de- 
pend on our knowledge of the laws of human nature, 
and our skill in the presentation of motives. Observe, 
then, that, as before, persuasion or moral contrivance 
recognizes the invariability of law; but also (and it is 
this which makes it moral contrivance) it recognizes 
and is conditioned bv the free-will of the fellow-man, 



PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL. 303 

This is precisely the difference between persuasion and 
force. If we use force, we ignore the free-will of our 
fellow, and the whole operation falls into the category 
(a) of physical Nature. 

It is evident, therefore, that invariable law in the 
realm of society does not destroy, but only limits, the 
free-will of man in the realm of society. 

(c.) Free-will in the realm of consciousness, acting 
on self. Here the opponents of universal law — the 
advocates of lawlessness — make their final stand. 
If law enters the circle of consciousness and invades 
the citadel of will itself, is not then at last the free- 
will destroyed, and, all that we have called free-will in 
other realms ceases to be free-will ? I answer : Law 
has, indeed, entered the charmed circle of consciousness, 
it has invaded the very citadel of the will itself, and 
yet is the will free. 

Again, let me explain : All metaphysicians admit 
the existence of law in the realm of consciousness. It 
is the province of metaphysics to determine these laws. 
But, if there be such laws, they are Divine laws ; if they 
be Divine laws, they are invariable. The law which 
determines the action of the will is called the law of 
motions. Now, the laws controlling moral motions — con- 
duct — are similar to those controlling physical motion. 
If two physical forces are directly opposed, motion will 
obey the stronger force ; so also, if two motives are di- 
rectly opposed, action will obey the stronger motive. 
If two physical forces urge in different directions, but 
not directly opposed, motion is in the direction of the 
resultant ; so also, if two motives urge in different but 
not opposite directions, conduct will be in the direction 



304 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

of the resultant. I think there can be no doubt that, 
in all cases, human action is determined by the relative 
strength of motives, or moral forces, at the moment of 
action. Does it not seem, then, that the will lies pas 
sive under the influence of motives ? How can it, then 
be free ? 

This, I know, is a very difficult point ; yet I think I 
see at least the principle of its solution. It is, beyond 
doubt, the characteristic of man, indissolubly connected 
with ail other characteristics already mentioned, that 
he is able to stand as it were out of himself, and to 
view himself and deal with himself objectively. In 
self-consciousness (and this is the distinction between 
consciousness and self-consciousness), he views himself 
objectively, as he would another person ; observes him- 
self, studies himself, and so constructs a science of 
himself; in the exercise of free-will, he deals with him- 
self objectively, as he would another person ; persuades 
himself, argues with himself, influences himself, mar- 
shals motives to determine his own conduct in the right 
direction — in a word, uses moral contrivance with him- 
self as with others. It is as if the free, determining will 
were a different thing from the executive will. In this 
division of self into subject and object — observer and 
observed, active and passive — the determining will re- 
mains with the active, and the executive will with the 
passive self. The executive will belongs to animals as 
well as to man ; the determining will belongs to man 
alone ; the executive will lies passive under the power 
of motives ; the free, determining will here, as elsewhere, 
arranges conditions, and marshals forces or motives, 
and thus determines the action of the executive will. 



PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL. 305 

But how does the free-will do this ? Let any one 
closely examine himself while under the influence of 
several motives, and the manner becomes evident. It 
is certain that we have the power of voluntarily fixing 
thought upon, or of turning it away from, this or that 
subject — of holding up before the mind and steadily 
contemplating this motive, or forcibly turning away 
the mind from that motive. Again, it is certainly a 
law of the mind that motives, steadily contemplated 
and cherished, grow stronger and stronger, while mo- 
tives kept out of sight gradually fade away. This law 
of growth of passions and emotions, by simply being 
present to the imagination, is a law powerful for good, 
and fearful for evil, as all must know. Now, the free- 
will keeps certain motives, approved by reason, before 
the mind, and thus increases their power, while it for- 
cibly thrusts others, not approved by reason, out of 
sight, and thus diminishes their power ; and thus de- 
termines the action of the executive will in the right 
direction. The surrender of ourselves passively to the 
law of motives, this is the law of our animal or sensuous 
nature* 

Thus, then, the free-will has no such V-ingly authority 
as some would ascribe to it. "When motives are nearly 
balanced, it cannot lay its royal right hand upon the 
lighter scale, and by mere force bear it down ; it cannot, 
like the hero, lay its conquering sword on the lighter 
scale and weigh it down. No ; its function is far more 
humble : it must use moral means ; it must persuade. 
Hence, my friends, the necessity of watchful, prayerful 
self-culture and self-discipline, lest motives surprise us 
and carry us away before we can manipulate them ; 



306 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

hence the necessity of formation of good habits. If free* 
will could at any time overbear motives in kingly fash- 
ion, this would be unnecessary. 

Thus, then, we have shown that invariable law in the 
realm of Nature does not destroy the free-will of man in 
the realm of Nature ; that invariable law in the realm 
of society does not destroy the free-will of man in the 
realm of humanity ; invariable law even in the realm 
of consciousness does not destroy free-will in the realm 
of consciousness. Invariable law and free-will, there- 
fore, are not inconsistent or mutually exclusive. Now, 
since law is, in some sense surely, the mode of opera- 
tion of the Divine will — the symbol of the Divine sov- 
ereignty — therefore, the absolute sovereignty of Deity 
is not inconsistent with the free-will of man ; these 
two are not mutually excluding. Again, observe that 
every event happens, every phenomenon is determined, 
entirely by law ; and, yet, every event and phenome- 
non in which man's free-will acts, is also determined by 
free-will ; the free-will arranges the conditions, and the 
law operates. Every such event, therefore, viewed in 
one way, is the work of God ; but it is also, viewed in 
another way, the work of man. Human life is a closely- 
woven fabric of diverse pattern : law is the warp, free- 
will is the woof ; the mode of weaving woof into warp 
determines the pattern. 

Let me give another illustration : Social phenomena, 
as already stated, are subject to law, invariable law. It 
is the province of sociology to determine these laws. 
The movement of society may be represented by a wide- 
sweeping curve : if, as we believe, the movement is 
progressive, the curve is an ascending curve. It is the 



PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL. 307 

province of sociology to investigate the law of that 
curve ; if the law were known perfectly, we might ex- 
tend the curve beyond the point now occupied by so- 
ciety. Now, this curve is composed, not of points, but 
of small circles, which are the circles of individual con- 
sciousness and free-will. To us within these little cir- 
cles, to the microscopic eye of self-consciousness, the 
little whirling motions determined by free-will are 
clear and conspicuous, while the silent drifting along 
the wide-sweeping curve, determined by law, is scarcely 
observed ; while, on the contrary, to the telescopic eye 
of social philosophy, these little circles dwindle to 
points and pass out of sight, and the wide-sweeping 
motion determined by law only is observed. 

3. But explicable or not, both sides of this question 
are true / and belief in both necessary to the highest 
interests of man. 

The free agency of man is a clear revelation of our 
consciousness ; and belief in it is therefore immediate, 
intuitive, and universal. We naturally believe it, we 
only with difficulty learn to question it; even those 
who pretend to question it recognize it daily in all 
their actions. Not only religion, but morality, society, 
government, and all our conduct toward each other, 
assume it. If we lie passive under the law of motives, 
like animals, then we sweep away at once all our moral 
ideas, and, with them, the whole vocabulary of words 
which express them, and the whole foundation of so- 
ciety. Right and wrong, virtue and vice, love and 
duty, have no longer any meaning. Sin and crime 
become the result solely of -an unhealthy physical and 
mental constitution, and should be pitied, and not pun- 



303 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

ished ; a misfortune, not a fault. Remorse — that fear- 
ful lash of the conscience — remorse for sin becomes 
regret for mistake. / Indignation against a fellow-man 
for grievous wrong is as senseless and irrational as the 
rage of a child toward the stone against which he 
crushes his foot ; and punishment as absurd and laugh- 
able as the child whipping the offending stone, j thM^~ 

Free-will^ then, is an undoubted revelation of con- 
sciousness, and therefore certain; but Divine sover- 
eignty is a clear revelation of Scripture and the final 
result of thought both in science and philosophy, and 
therefore also certain. He who denies the one, " pal- 
ters with his conscience in a double sense ; " he who 
denies the other has never thought on the mystery of 
existence. 

But this question is not confined to Christian 
thought ; it is not a question of Christian philosophy 
alone, much less of the creed of any sect ; it is as uni- 
versal as the reason of man. In every age and coun- 
try, wherever man has thought deeply, this question 
emerges. The Greek, Roman, and Hindoo philosophers 
discussed it. It takes different forms in different ages 
and classes of minds. In Christian philosophy, it is 
predestination and free agency ; in scientific philosophy, 
it is invariable law in relation to free-will ; in the mind 
of the Greek, it took the form of fate or destiny in rela- 
tion to free-will. The fearful interest of the Greek 
tragedy consisted in the dread mystery of this relation ; 
inexorable Fate moving slowly but inevitably to its 
end, and the free-will of man struggling heroically but 
vainly against it. 

There is, indeed, an insoluble enigma in human life 3 



PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL. 309 

but this question is not the only mystery — the enigma 
is not confined to this question. On the contrary, there 
is a fundamental antithesis in all human philosophy, of 
which the very nature of man himself — a clod of earth 
animated by an immortal divine spark — is the symbol. 
Man himself is an enigma, fitly represented by a sphinx 
with its animal body half buried in the earth, while its 
divine-human head rises into the clouds of heaven ! 
The study of this double nature gives rise to the oppo- 
site philosophies, never yet reconciled— the material 
and the ideal. 

Now, if man's nature is irreconcilable through the 
divine spark with which his animal nature is asso- 
ciated, how much more mysterious and incomprehensi- 
ble must be the relation of the Divine and the human ! 
The Scriptures, therefore, which treat of the highest 
ideas, as we might expect, are full of such irreconcilable 
views : they speak of God as immutable, yet as repent- 
ing and changing his purpose ; God is unchangeable, 
governing all by invariable laws, yet in prayer we 
must believe that in some sense we move the heart 
and change the purpose of Deity. Christ is perfect 
God, yet also perfect man. The Scriptures are wholly 
divine, yet are they also human. In all these cases, 
one is the Divine and the other the human point of 
view. These are the mysteries of Scripture, but how 
different from the mysteries of pretended revelations ! 
These are true mysteries — mysteries the solution of 
which lie above the plane of human comprehension. 
The Scriptures do not, therefore, attempt to explain 
them, but simply hold up to human view first one 
side and then the other : the Divine side, to give us a 



310 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

just conception of Divine majesty ; the human side, lest 
the Divine majesty should seem too high above us to 
reach with our love : the one, that we might worthly 
reverence and worship, the other that we might also 
love Him: the one is necessary to a pure religion, the 
other to a practical religion. 

Now, the question which has occupied us this even- 
ing is precisely one of these mysteries. It cannot be 
completely explained, because the complete solution 
lies above the plane of human thought. It has a 
Divine and a human side, the one necessary for the 
purest and highest form of religion, the other necessary 
for practical religion ; in fact, necessary as a foundation 
for the fabric of human society and human life. 

As Christ is perfect God, and yet perfect man — as 
the Scriptures in one sense are the work of God and in 
another the work of man — so human life, human history, 
and human destiny, in one sense are "wholly determined 
by law and in another sense wholly determined by free- 
will, are wholly the work of God, and yet wholly the 
work of man. The fabric is woven, warp and woof, 
but so woven that, viewed in one direction, the color 
and shape of the pattern seem wholly determined by 
the warp, but, viewed in another direction, they seem 
wholly determined by the woof: in one direction it 
Beems all warp, in another direction it seems all woof. 



LECTURE XIX. 

PRATER IN" RELATION" TO INVARIABLE LAW. 

My Christian Friends : In my last lecture, you 
will remember I stated that both human nature and 
Scriptural revelation are full of mysteries — mysteries 
which have two sides, incapable of complete reconcili- 
ation. One of these, viz., the sovereignty of God and 
the free agency of man, was the subject of my last lect- 
ure. Among others mentioned was an unchangeable 
God, and yet the duty of prayer, " or prayer in rela- 
tion to the universal reign of invariable law." This is 
the subject of my evening's lecture. 

My friends, I wish I could have avoided this ques- 
tion. I confess to you I shrink from touching upon a 
subject at the same time so difficult and so sacred. I 
confess to }^ou, I fear to enter the innermost sanctuary 
of our religious nature, the closet of secret prayer ; to 
lift the veil which conceals from every eye, but the all- 
seeing eye of God, this holiest of holies, and to touch, 
with what may seem to you the unholy hands of hu- 
man reason, the altar from which incense daily rises 
and upon which sacrifice is daily laid. But I cannot, 
I dare not avoid it. Others, many others, in these later 
times, have entered before me, and with sacrilegious 



312 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

hands have tried to tear down that altar, and to tram- 
ple under foot and pollute the sacrifice ; they have at- 
tempted to prove that, in the presence of invariable 
law in every realm of Nature, the spirit of prayer is 
irrational and absurd, the act of prayer a superstition, 
and the posture of prayer therefore debasing. 

If these things had been said only in philosophical 
disquisitions, I would not have deemed myself called 
on to take up this subject; but they have been ob- 
truded upon the public in lectures and addresses, and 
even in the daily prints. There has been in recent 
times much talk even of subjecting the efficacy of 
prayer to the test of scientific experiment. In ridicule, 
it has been proposed to have prayer-gauges, as we have 
rain-gauges ; to construct instruments to measure the 
abundance of the outpouring of Divine blessings in 
answer to prayer, as we have instruments to measure 
the down-pouring of rain ; these nimble-witted gentle- 
men not observing that the very thought of such an 
experiment is inconsistent with the true spirit of 
prayer, and therefore destroys the very conditions 
under which alone Divine blessings are given. 

I will not cry, " Blasphemy ! " as many religious men 
have done, because I do not think this does any good, 
and may do much harm, and because, moreover, I be- 
lieve that many earnest, truth-seeking men have talked 
and written imprudently on this subject; but I do 
say that such men, whatever they may know of the 
spirit o£ science, know little of the true spirit of prayer. 

My object this evening, therefore, is twofold : first, 
to show the rational grounds of our belief in the effi- 
cacy of prayer ; and, second, admitting that efficacy, 






PRAYER AND INVARIABLE LAW. 313 

to show its relation to the invariability of law. In con- 
nection with this latter, I will touch on the limits, if 
anj', of the province of effective prayer : 

1. First, then, the rational grounds of belief in the 
efficacy of prayer. I wish you to observe, here, that I 
put aside grounds derived from the statements of Script- 
ure, and that I put aside also grounds derived from 
Christian experience. I present only such philosophic 
grounds as ought to affect all thinking minds, whether 
believers or skeptics. 

I think I may affirm with confidence that whatever 
is a necessary condition of our activity we must be- 
lieve in ; must be true for us ; must have an objective 
reality ; and therefore needs no proof, since it is already 
more certain than any thing can possibly be made by 
proof. 

Let me illustrate : Perhaps the most undoubting 
faith which we have, next to our own existence, is in 
the existence of external Nature. But this faith is not 
founded on proof by any process of reasoning. On the 
contrary, some philosophers have thought that, by rea- 
soning, they could disprove, or at least bring in doubt, 
the existence of the external world. By looking ever 
inward and never outward, by shutting the study-door, 
closing the senses, turning the mind inward upon itself 
in deep thought, some philosophers have succeeded in 
constructing a philosophy which makes the external 
world but a phantasmagoria of internal states, projected 
outward by a law of the mind. But, as soon as the 
philosopher opens his study-door and looks outward, 
and especially as soon as he steps out into the busy 
world, all his faith returns. The reason is, because the 
14 



314 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

external world is revealed through the senses and 
especially through activity, being the necessary condi- 
tion of activity. Our activity is certain; whatever, 
therefore, is the necessary condition of that activity, is 
equally certain, far more certain than any thing can be 
made by any process of reasoning. In proportion to tho 
intensity of our life, and activity in the external world, 
is the absoluteness of our certainty in its existence. 

The existence of the external world, therefore, is 
the basis, not the subject-matter of physical philoso- 
phy ; the starting-point of reason, not a truth found in 
the course of reasoning. 

So also our belief in a spirit-world, in the existence 
of God and the human soul, is not founded on any 
process of reasoning. On the contrary, reasoning first 
led men to doubt. By persistently looking outward 
and never inward, some philosophers have thought that 
they could disprove the existence of spirit, but as soon 
as the philosopher turns his thoughts inward, and 
especially when he commences activity in the spirit- 
world, all his faith returns. The reason is, again, be- 
cause the spirit-world is revealed in consciousness, and 
especially through activity in that world, and in pro- 
portion to the activity of our higher spiritual nature does 
our realizing faith become stronger. The existence of a 
spirit-world is the necessary condition of our spiritual 
activity ; the activity is certain, the necessary condition 
must therefore be certain also. This, therefore, is the 
basis, not the subject of a spiritual philosophy. 

Now, our religious nature is a fact, an undoubted 
scientific verity. Even the materialist must admit it. 
This religious nature of ours has wants and activities. 






PRAYER AND INVARIABLE LAW. 315 

as well as our material nature — wants which must be 
satisfied, and activities which must be exercised and 
cultivated. Now, I do not hesitate to assert that the 
recognition of God in his paternal relation, the belief 
that He is our spiritual Father, and that therefore we 
may approach Him and influence Him by prayer, is the 
essential condition of the satisfaction of our religious 
wants, of the exercise and cultivation of our religious 
nature. As certain,- therefore, as is the fact of our 
religious nature, so certain also is the condition of its 
activity, viz., the efficacy of prayer. Whether we can 
explain it or not, whether we can reconcile it with in- 
variable law or not, makes no difference, it is certain, 
and belief in it thoroughly rational. 

This, then, is the basis, not the subject-matter of re- 
ligious philosophy ; the starting-point of reason, not a 
fact to be proved or disproved by reasoning. Let us rest 
firmly here. This is sufficient for us as religious men. 

Yes ! sufficient for religion, but not for philosophy. 
Philosophy should, indeed, accept the efficacy of prayer 
as a verity, but there is another verity equally certain, 
and which, therefore, she is equally bound to accept, 
viz., the universal reign of invariable law. Accepting 
these two verities, the domain of reason is restricted 
to the explanation of their relation to each other. This 
brings me to my second point : 

2. Hoxo shall we reconcile the efficacy of prayer 
with the invariability of law in every realm of Na- 
ture f 

I am sure you will agree with me when I assert 
that the most important objects of prayer — so impor- 
tant that, in comparison, all other objects vanish out of 



316 BMLiaiON AXD SCIEXCE. 

siglit ; so important that, if we were wise to see rightly, 
there would be no other object— that the most impor- 
ant objects of prayer, I say, are spiritual blessings, on 
ourselves and on our fellow-men ; daily bread, not for 
body only, but daily spiritual bread from his table 
aboye for ourselyes, and his kingdom come, and his 
will done on earth. This is the burden of our Lord's 
prayer. Is there, my friends, any truly worthy object 
of prayer but this ? God dwelling in our hearts ; his 
image growing brighter and brighter there ; our life 
united with his life, and we thus becoming partakers 
of his perfect nature ; his will become our will — in a 
word, holiness, spiritual beauty, spiritual freedom ; 
and this for ourselyes, and for our race ? Does not this 
swallow up and contain within itself eyery other con- 
ceivable blessing ? It is of the efficacy of prayer for 
spiritual blessings, therefore, that I shall now speak ; 
and, first of all, of — 

(a.) The efficacy of prayer in the realm of conscious- 
ness — prayer for spiritual blessings on ourselves. This 
is the germ, the starting-point of all spiritual blessing. 
All commence here, and then diffuse outwardly by our 
activity. The efficacy of prayer here, too, is completely 
explicable, and therefore I take up this first. 

The Divine will, we must believe, is always to con- 
fer every spiritual blessing, every real good, on all men. 
All revelation of himself in Nature, in Scripture, in 
Christ, is expressly intended for this ; all the laws and 
forces of Nature tend toward this. He is truly repre- 
sented in Scripture as anxiously " waiting to be gra- 
cious," as intensely desiring to bless. But phenomena 
everywhere, in the realm of consciousness as elsewhere, 



PRAYER AND INVARIABLE LAW. 317 

are determined by conditions as well as forces. Now, 
the necessary condition of blessing in this case is the 
free-will and the heart of man in accordance with Di- 
vine law. But, so far from this necessary condition 
being present, there is an opposing condition, viz., the 
law of selfism. Now, it is impossible (I speak it with 
reverence) for God to overbear by force the free-will 
of man ; it is impossible for Him to violate this condi- 
tion, without destroying the essential nature of man as 
a moral being, and thus destroying the possibility of 
holiness, which is the very end to be attained. You 
see, then, the state of things ; the Divine will fall of 
blessings, pressing upon the human heart, and the 
opposing condition of selfism. Now, prayer — the 
closing of the closet-door, the bended knee, the up- 
turned eye, and the uplifted heart, and words borne 
upward on the wings of pure desire — prayer removes 
the opposing condition, arranges the favoring condi- 
tions, and the blessing flows in, not against law, but 
according to law— a law of the Divine nature, and of 
our nature. 

(b.) The efficacy of prayer in the realm of hu- 
manity / prayer for spiritual blessings on our fellow- 
men, and especially on our loved ones. 

We have already seen that spiritual blessings are 
conditioned upon the free-will of man accepting. This 
condition cannot be violated. Now, we, by influence, 
by persuasion, determine the conduct of our fellow- 
men without violating their free-will. May not God, 
then, in answer to our earnest prayers, draw, move the 
hearts of our friends, and thus influence, persuade them 
to right conduct and holy life, without violating free- 



318 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

will ? I believe He may, and does ; the relation oi the 
Spirit of God and the spirit of man is undoubtedly very 
close, and the influence of one on the other very di- 
rect, though inscrutable to us. But, my friends, Ave 
cannot expect this, unless we also, by our activity, co- 
operate. 

"We have said, spiritual blessings commence within, 
in the realm of consciousness, and then diffuse them- 
selves outwardly by holy activity. Spiritual life is first 
quickened within us by prayer. But all true life is 
active ; activity is the sign and test of life. In propor- 
tion as we pray for our fellow-men, in the same propor- 
tion is our spiritual life quickened, our hearts warmed 
with intenser love for them, and intenser desire for 
their welfare, and in the same proportion is our ac- 
tivity for their spiritual welfare increased. 

Thus, then, the natural order of events is, first, a 
spiritual life quickened within ourselves by prayer, by 
a law not difficult to understand ; then this spiritual 
life, by a law also easy to understand, exhibits itself 
by holy living, holy activity, holy influence upon our 
fellows. There is, doubtless, more than this : there is, 
undoubtedly, a cooperating Divine agency which we can- 
not understand ; but this much, at least, is clear and 
intelligible, and, what is more, it is thoroughly practical, 

(e.) Efficacy of prayer in the realm of external 
Nature / prayer for material blessings within reach of 
our activity / for life, health, happiness, and success in 
legitimate work. 

The efficacy of prayer here is explicable on pre- 
cisely the same principle as the last. Prayer quickens 
and strengthens all our higher life, and, through them. 



PRAYER AND INVARIABLE LAW. 319 

acts even on our lower nature ; it purifies and warms 
the heart, it quickens the mind, clears the judgment 
to see the truth, strengthens the will to do the right, 
and thus fits for the more perfect performance of every 
duty of life. It tends thus to temperance, and health, 
and happiness, and success in every legitimate sphere 
of activity. Therefore, daily prayer for light, for guid- 
ance, for strength to perform daily duties, is thoroughly 
rational, and is always blessed. There may be more 
than this — there may also be more direct Divine agency 
which we do not understand — but this much is clear 
and intelligible. 

(d.) Efficacy of prayer in the realm of Nature be* 
yond the reach of our activity. 

There is much, very much of Nature which is beyond 
the reach of our activity, which we are powerless to 
modify in the slightest degree. Such are the celestial 
motions, such are meteorological phenomena, sunshine 
and show r er, tempest and lightning, floods and drought ; 
such are geological phenomena, volcanoes and earth- 
quakes. These phenomena are often the cause to us 
of distress, anguish, terror, of loss and danger. Now, 
whenwe lie helpless and distressed, beneath the power 
of Nature, can earnest praj T er of holy men call in the 
aid of Omnipotence ? can it move the arm of the Al- 
mighty and change the course of Nature ? We, too, in 
our little sphere of activity, can modify the phenomena 
of Nature. As the human father, then, will modify the 
phenomena of Nature at the earnest desire of a loved 
child, will not also He, our heavenly Father, modify the 
phenomena of Nature when we, his children, are pow- 
erless, and in peril, and cry to Him for help ? My 



320 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

friends, it may be so, but we cannot, must not expect 
it. That He can do so, no one will doubt ; but, that He 
will, we ought not to expect, for the following reasons : 

His purposes are infinitely grand, embracing the 
whole universe and infinite time, and especially the 
whole human race. The whole cosmos is a complex 
unit. Every event is a part of this unit, and therefore 
affects the whole. Shall, then, our individual material 
wants change the grand purposes of Deity, which n> 
elude the whole cosmos ? 

But there is a better reason why we should not 
expect it. The invariability of the laws of Nature, the 
uniformity of sequence of events under certain condi- 
tions, the absolute reign of law, are the necessary con- 
dition of human life and human activity. All our in- 
telligent contrivance, all intelligent activity of ail kinds, 
all our science, culture, civilization, progress, are condi- 
tioned on absolute, undoubting faith in this : unsettle 
our faith in this, and to the same extent you paralyze 
our intelligent activity ; destroy our faith in this, and 
we return to barbarism and mere animal life. Human 
intelligence arranging conditions, and thus modifying 
phenomena in the midst of invariable law — such are 
the conditions of all culture and progress. Now, the 
frequent interference of an unseen superhuman agency 
in the course of Nature would tend to paralyze our in- 
telligent activity, and thus jeopardize the highest in- 
terests of the race. 1 Shall our individual material wants 
thus imperil the highest interests of humanity ? Are 

1 The good sense of the religious world has always recognized 
tnis in every department of Nature, where our knowledge is suf- 
ficiently perfect to predict phenomena. It is only the imperfect 



PRAYER AND INVARIABLE LAW. 321 

we alone his children, are not all men our brethren ? 
Shall He not care for these also ? Shall not the interests 
of the race be his care even more than our personal 
material interests? I repeat, therefore, we cannot, 
must not, ought not expect it. 1 

Again, the spiritual interests of all men are the 
same — they cannot clash ; but the material wants of 
men are as diverse as their conditions. The blessing 
of one is often the curse of another. Hence the most 
opposite prayers on such subjects ascend to the ear of 
God. My friends, I again repeat, still more emphati- 
cally, we cannot, ought not, must not expect interfer- 
ence in external Nature. 

Must we ri|)t pray for these things, then? My 
Christian friends, I cannot say, No . If we were all 
strong and calm and wise, if we could appreciate the 
transcendant importance of spiritual blessings and the 
insignificance of material blessings in comparison, I 

recognition of the reign of invariable law which makes it different 
in some other departments. 

1 This does not in the least affect the question of miracles or the 
occasional interference when the highest interests of humanity re- 
quire it. All will admit that the frequent occurrence of miraculous 
agency cannot be expected, and is in fact inconsistent with the 
highest interests of mankind. Some writers try to make a distinction 
between miracles and special providences ; in the one, events being 
determined in violation of law, or else by unknown laws and forces ; 
while in the other they are determined by the use of recognized 
laws and forces. They say, if man arranges conditions and deter- 
mines events without violating any law, much more may God do so. 
But it is evident that the essence of the miraculous consists in the 
unseen superhuman agency, whether in arranging conditions or in 
overbearing law. The distinction at once vanishes when we at- 
tempt to apply it to regular phenomena like celestial motion. 



322 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

might, perhaps, answer, No. But, when I remember 
our weakness, our darkness, our ignorance 3 I cannot, I 
dare not say No. 

Prayer is the outpouring of every right affection 
and desire into the ear of our heavenly Father. Shall 
we repress these because they may be unwise? I 
think not. We human fathers love to hear our chil- 
dren express every right desire to us, even though, 
through ignorance or weakness, they may be unwise 
and cannot be granted. It is only thus that the heart 
of father and child are brought into communion ; it is 
only thus that the will of the child is brought in accord- 
ance with the will of the father, and the child is morally 
trained. Even so, we little children of cur heavenly 
Father know not always what to ask for. In our 
ignorance, in our weakness, in our anguish, we may 
often ask unwisely ; but, if our desires are not unholy, 
He will listen with patience and love. He encourages 
us to ask. He loves us to ask. Let us, then, ask with- 
out fear. Let us express to Him every right desire and 
feeling, wise and unwise, not only our spiritual yearn- 
ings, but our sorrows, our fears, our anguish, of every 
kind. Our desires may be unwise, our fears and an- 
guish may be childish, but the expression of them is 
always wise. Indeed, what are we, but " infants cry- 
ing in the night, infants crying for the light ? " and 
often our " only language is a cry." Let us, indeed, 
strive to desire wisely, and thus to ask wisely, but, at 
any rate, let us not hesitate to ask. If we are refused, 
we will yet be blessed a thousand-fold with his love. 
The true spirit of prayer is always blessed, and there* 
fore always wise. 



PRAYER A1W INVARIABLE LAW. 323 

"Refused!" some will exclaim; "is not the prayer 
of faith always answered?" Yes, but what is the 
prayer of faith? Is confident expectation that our 
desires, our will, whatever it may be, will be accom- 
plished — is this the prayer of faith ? Is it not rather 
the prayer of presumption? The prayer of faith for 
external blessings is always conditioned upon the 
Divine will. " If it be thy will." " Thy will, not 
mine, be done.'''' The praj^er of faith is the simple con- 
fidence that He will accomplish our real good. But 
prayer makes his will our will, and thus in the true 
prayer of faith is our will also done. His will is al- 
ways that all things shall work together for our good, 
and thus is our highest good accomplished. Thus 
prayer trains our moral nature, gradually brings our 
will in accordance with his will, which is the true goal 
of all our strivings. 

But there is at least one realm where our prayers 
are alwaj r s answered ; yes, our very desires are accom- 
plished : it is the inner realm of consciousness. This 
is the home of secret prayer and of spiritual life. The 
light generated here radiates, and vivifies all upon 
which it falls ; the life quickened here goes outward, 
and blesses all with which it comes in contact. Here the 
earnest prayer for spiritual blessing is immediately 
fulfilled. Here we need not even condition our desires 
with an if we need not say if it be thy will, for we 
already know that it is his will to bless. Only, let our 
desires be true and earnest, and they are already 
accomplished. The will of God Sowing through all 
revelation, through the course of Nature and Provi- 
dence, through Scripture and Christ, like a mighty 



324 RELIGION AND SCIENCE. 

flood freighted with infinite blessings, presses wi 
ever-increasing force upon the human heart, but 
resisted by our selfism and pride. Prayer lifts t 
gate, and the in-rushing tide overflows the soul. 



THE END. 






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